Regional Governments Team Up to Lure Amazon to Birmingham

Sherrel Stewart | September 25, 2017

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Government and corporate leaders from throughout Jefferson County announced a joint effort today to lure a proposed Amazon headquarters to Birmingham.

The Seattle-based internet giant is accepting site proposals for its second headquarters – HQ2, and applications are due by Oct. 19. Construction will cost over $5 billion, according to a company statement. The facility is expected to generate 50,000 jobs.

Birmingham Mayor William Bell said the city and the region offer a quality of life that would appeal to Amazon.

The company says it’s looking for a North American site in a metro area of more than a million people with a stable and business-friendly environment, the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent, and the willingness to think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options. An estimated 1.1 million people live in the Birmingham-Hoover metro area, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

A story in The New York Times earlier this month discussed potential sites for the Amazon headquarters. A decision on the location for Amazon HQ2 is expected next year.