Local politicians in New York City have succeeded in driving Amazon out of town. The online giant said Thursday it is dropping plans for its HQ2 in Long Island City, Queens.
Through dayone, the Amazon blog, the company released a statement that informed the city and state that it was scotching plans to build an enterprise that would have created 25,000 new jobs and that had already boosted real estate values in and around the proposed campus. The reason? Politics.
"After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens," said the statement. "For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term. While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City."
The deal as originally negotiated would have provided $3 billion in incentives, a sum which raised ire among some local and regional political leaders.
Amazon also said it is not reopening the search for a second HQ2 but that it was proceeding with plans for its headquarters in Northern Virginia and its expansion in Nashville.
"We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion—we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture—and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents," the statement continued. "There are currently over 5,000 Amazon employees in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and we plan to continue growing these teams."
The statement also thanked New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for their efforts. "Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have worked tirelessly on behalf of New Yorkers to encourage local investment and job creation, and we can’t speak positively enough about all their efforts. The steadfast commitment and dedication that these leaders have demonstrated to the communities they represent inspired us from the very beginning and is one of the big reasons our decision was so difficult."
