Amazon HQ2

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by myBrain

Austin's cultural cache is insane.

Exactly. I've worked in real estate in Austin's urban core for nearly 20 years. Transplants are PUMPED to move here, and if they just sold their home on one of the coasts, they have a pocket full of cash.....and think our prices are cheap for what they get. Recently had a client relo from SF...they bought their condo in SF in '02 for $250K, just sold it for $950k. Bought a new 3000sqft house on Waller St for $950k. You would have thought they stole it, they were so excited to live in a nice home close to the city...the highway didn't bother them at all, and neither did living on the East Side with traditionally higher crime rates than the rest of Austin. They thought our crime was "cute" compared to SF (and they were both originally from NYC).

I see this on a weekly basis. Met a single IBMer guy from Boston/SF, who also thinks our prices are insanely cheap....he plans to pay cash for a home under $700k in the urban core. He loves it.

I'll bet Amazon has a ton of employees who attended school in Central Texas.
A lot of former area college students would love to relocate back to Austin. When I tended bar at the Four Seasons in the 90's, alumni from UT/Texas State, even A&M would sit at my bar and tell me they couldn't wait to relo to Austin if they could....or at least retire here one day. I heard that ALL THE TIME!

People talk very highly of our schools too. I have a 3 year old, so soon I'll be able to verify that myself, but for now, I've heard that a lot.

I have NEVER heard anyone moving here, say....."damn...this sucks....I wish I could have gone to Houston/Dallas/Boston/Phoenix/Atlanta" I think Denver is our only real competition for the employees' quality of life.

I too think Austin will grow along with Amazon (or without it obviously), the airport will gain more direct flights, etc. But I also believe that Bezos could be a BIG fish in our small pond. Dell is in Round Rock. I rarely even meet anyone that works there. Amazon could own downtown Austin. They could build a signature tower, name our new MLS stadium (i hope i hope i hope), Bezos could secure his legacy with public works of art, parks, etc. You know like big time rich people do in old cities throughout the US.

Traffic keeps getting brought up, but again....the people I meet from Dallas/Houston/SF/Atlanta/Miami/Phoenix/Denver/LA, all think our traffic is a joke compared to their towns. No desirable city in the US, or the world, has traffic "figured out". Show me one city where the locals don't bitch 24/7 about traffic. Rail is really only useful if you live/work within short walk...."the last mile".

I'll bet that Amazon has already conducted a poll of their employees (it would be stupid of them not to really) to find out where THEY want to go. And I will bet money we would be #1 in that poll. I'll bet it costs 3-4 times as much to live NYC/SF than it does in Austin. Amazon would have to pay them a grip of money to live anywhere near those areas. Not to mention rising sea levels on the E Coast. If Amazon plans to stick around for the next 50 years, that could easily be something they will have to deal with if they go to the E Coast.

[masonh2479]

This is worth a read
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...ics-tax-breaks

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

Exactly. I've worked in real estate in Austin's urban core for nearly 20 years. Transplants are PUMPED to move here, and if they just sold their home on one of the coasts, they have a pocket full of cash.....and think our prices are cheap for what they get. Recently had a client relo from SF...they bought their condo in SF in '02 for $250K, just sold it for $950k. Bought a new 3000sqft house on Waller St for $950k. You would have thought they stole it, they were so excited to live in a nice home close to the city...the highway didn't bother them at all, and neither did living on the East Side with traditionally higher crime rates than the rest of Austin. They thought our crime was "cute" compared to SF (and they were both originally from NYC).

I see this on a weekly basis. Met a single IBMer guy from Boston/SF, who also thinks our prices are insanely cheap....he plans to pay cash for a home under $700k in the urban core. He loves it.

I'll bet Amazon has a ton of employees who attended school in Central Texas.
A lot of former area college students would love to relocate back to Austin. When I tended bar at the Four Seasons in the 90's, alumni from UT/Texas State, even A&M would sit at my bar and tell me they couldn't wait to relo to Austin if they could....or at least retire here one day. I heard that ALL THE TIME!

People talk very highly of our schools too. I have a 3 year old, so soon I'll be able to verify that myself, but for now, I've heard that a lot.

I have NEVER heard anyone moving here, say....."damn...this sucks....I wish I could have gone to Houston/Dallas/Boston/Phoenix/Atlanta" I think Denver is our only real competition for the employees' quality of life.

I too think Austin will grow along with Amazon (or without it obviously), the airport will gain more direct flights, etc. But I also believe that Bezos could be a BIG fish in our small pond. Dell is in Round Rock. I rarely even meet anyone that works there. Amazon could own downtown Austin. They could build a signature tower, name our new MLS stadium (i hope i hope i hope), Bezos could secure his legacy with public works of art, parks, etc. You know like big time rich people do in old cities throughout the US.

Traffic keeps getting brought up, but again....the people I meet from Dallas/Houston/SF/Atlanta/Miami/Phoenix/Denver/LA, all think our traffic is a joke compared to their towns. No desirable city in the US, or the world, has traffic "figured out". Show me one city where the locals don't bitch 24/7 about traffic. Rail is really only useful if you live/work within short walk...."the last mile".

I'll bet that Amazon has already conducted a poll of their employees (it would be stupid of them not to really) to find out where THEY want to go. And I will bet money we would be #1 in that poll. I'll bet it costs 3-4 times as much to live NYC/SF than it does in Austin. Amazon would have to pay them a grip of money to live anywhere near those areas. Not to mention rising sea levels on the E Coast. If Amazon plans to stick around for the next 50 years, that could easily be something they will have to deal with if they go to the E Coast.

Wow that was a book, lol. In all seriousness, great reply, I agree with all the points that you brought up. Culture should be a huge factor for Amazon, they certaintly want their workers to be happy and enjoy themselves, that leads to more productivity.

I can't help but bring back up Atlanta though, the geography there is hard to beat. Delta is also a huge factor, for me it's neck and neck between Atlanta and Austin, Atlanta with a slight advantage.

[drummer]

If my family and I ever move back to the States, we would love to be in Austin (since I'm from there - my wife is from DFW). Our early marriage years were there, we love it and miss it. However, we're also very intrigued with Colorado and the PNW, especially Portland. Granted, DFW is also on the table because of my wife's family, but I'd rather be in a place like Denton that has a culture more similar to Austin's if we were to ever end up there. That said, who knows if and when any of that would happen?!

All these places are similar culturally to me, with exceptions of course. The draw for Colorado is obviously the mountains and outdoor stuff in addition to the weather. Same for the PNW minus the huge amounts of rain. Austin's drawback is the heat for my wife (thought DFW isn't any different, we've just become wusses since living in the mountains here in China).

Lifestyle is very important when people are considering a location, but the business still needs to make business decisions. People will go where the job takes them, ultimately. I'm not taking Austin out of the running for all of the reasons above, but I just have a difficult time seeing Austin get it over Dallas. I would love to be wrong here and would quickly welcome that.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by drummer

If my family and I ever move back to the States, we would love to be in Austin (since I'm from there - my wife is from DFW). Our early marriage years were there, we love it and miss it. However, we're also very intrigued with Colorado and the PNW, especially Portland. Granted, DFW is also on the table because of my wife's family, but I'd rather be in a place like Denton that has a culture more similar to Austin's if we were to ever end up there. That said, who knows if and when any of that would happen?!

All these places are similar culturally to me, with exceptions of course. The draw for Colorado is obviously the mountains and outdoor stuff in addition to the weather. Same for the PNW minus the huge amounts of rain. Austin's drawback is the heat for my wife (thought DFW isn't any different, we've just become wusses since living in the mountains here in China).

Lifestyle is very important when people are considering a location, but the business still needs to make business decisions. People will go where the job takes them, ultimately. I'm not taking Austin out of the running for all of the reasons above, but I just have a difficult time seeing Austin get it over Dallas. I would love to be wrong here and would quickly welcome that.

That's a huge culture shock going from Texas to China! I moved from Texas to Wisconsin and will never forget my first winter here. It was one of their worst on record. I was wondering what I had got myself into, lol.

I sure hope Austin beats Dallas!

[drummer]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

That's a huge culture shock going from Texas to China! I moved from Texas to Wisconsin and will never forget my first winter here. It was one of their worst on record. I was wondering what I had got myself into, lol.

I sure hope Austin beats Dallas!

I've been in China a bit over six years now. The culture shock has long since passed. Reverse culture shock coming back to the States every 18-24 months is what I fear now.

We'll see what happens with Austin or Dallas. Anywhere in Texas would be good for Texas public and private universities here and jobs, but obviously it would be best for the city that lands it.

[The ATX]

It's Milam County for the win.

• Video Link

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by The ATX

It's Milam County for the win.

• Video Link

Well they have the cost of living down and don't see nearly as much traffic as Austin...I think Austin might lose to Milam County now...

[JoninATX]

Maybe a far fetch idea, but if Amazon did decide on Milam County it could be a facility that acts like a city. Meaning residential, restaurants, offices all in one. Imo, that would be awesome project to see happen.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Maybe a far fetch idea, but if Amazon did decide on Milam County it could be a facility that acts like a city. Meaning residential, restaurants, offices all in one. Imo, that would be awesome project to see happen.

In reality the chance of this happening is 0.00000001%, I hope you realize we are all being sarcastic, lol.

[JoninATX]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

In reality the chance of this happening is 0.00000001%, I hope you realize we are all being sarcastic, lol.

It's a slim chance no doubt, but one can only imagine if not Amazon, but some other company building their own personal city centre. It would be thinking outside the box for sure.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

It's a slim chance no doubt, but one can only imagine if not Amazon, but some other company building their own personal city centre. It would be thinking outside the box for sure.

Absolutely, they could effectively custom make their own small city.

[paul78701]

Hickenlooper: Colorado is only a 'long shot' for Amazon HQ2 (Video):
https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/n...-shot-for.html

It doesn't sound as if Denver, one of the cities often mentioned for this, is really in the mix.

[ahealy]

I love this. It's like F1 all over again

**Trigger warning**As for transportation issues, is it plausible Amazon could foot some portion of a bill to help build a slick rail line around the around the CBD?

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by ahealy

I love this. It's like F1 all over again

**Trigger warning**As for transportation issues, is it plausible Amazon could foot some portion of a bill to help build a slick rail line around the around the CBD?

They have kinda actually done that in Seattle:
https://www.amazon.com/p/feature/4kc8ovgnyf996yn

The bulk of their campus is probably considered downtown, but it's not in the heart of downtown.

[clubtokyo]

Great info and I like this: "In Seattle, about 15% of Amazon employees live in our zip code and about 20% walk to work."

[We vs us]

City leaders: No local incentives dollars included in Austin’s pitch for Amazon HQ2


http://www.512tech.com/technology/ci...tUWiZfGJU3FzJ/

A memo from interim city manager Elaine Hart and other city officials to Mayor Steve Adler and Austin City Council members says that Austin did not include financial incentives in its proposal because the city has a public process it must engage in before approving any incentives for economic development projects. The process includes multiple City Council meetings and an opportunity for residents to weigh their opinion.

In a letter from Adler to Amazon that was included in the city’s proposal and released publicly on Wednesday, the mayor said Austin is eager to work with the online retail giant. The letter detailed positive features about the city such as the tech talent found here and prime educational institutions such as the University of Texas at Austin.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by We vs us

City leaders: No local incentives dollars included in Austin’s pitch for Amazon HQ2

That made a few other cities cheer.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by The ATX

That made a few other cities cheer.

In hindsight, Amazon didn't really give most cities enough time to put together incentives packages. I hadn't thought about this before, but Austin can't be the only city that requires a process for such things. I would think that Amazon would understand that.

[lzppjb]

Just because incentives aren't in the pitch doesn't mean they won't be there eventually. I'm sure Amazon understands that.