3 months ago, Amazon announced that it would split their new headquarters between Long Island City in the Queens borough of NYC and Crystal City, Virginia. They also announced a massive investment in Nashville.
Crystal City and Nashville politicians were thrilled, but NYC politicians vowed to fight back against Amazon. In the end Amazon decided that it didn’t want to open a new headquarters under hostile conditions, and they have decided to cancel their NYC plans.
That will cost NYC lots of high-paying jobs, but it will mean less pressure on the local housing market.
NYC’s loss is likely to be Nashville’s and Crystal City’s gain. Or loss? Time will tell on this one.
What do you make of Amazon killing its NYC headquarters plan?
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80 Comments On "Amazon Is Killing Its Plans For Headquarters In NYC"
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Great job NYC. You managed to successfully mess up a free lunch. Really smart.
Nah, they overpaid to begin with
Economic Illiterates For Bernie Sanders – Home | Facebook
NY politicians are idiots
All this freakin democratic NYC politicians are a bunch of corrupted idiots, it’s about time for the Democrats to stop with all this politics and face reallity and what’s good for everyone and not for there private interests!
Totally agreed
NYC IS OUTTA OF THEIR MINDS
Think it’s a good thing they canceled
In what way?
Come to Miami Beach. You’ll find NYC traffic here and New Yorkers here on vacation. (They are the ones wearing shorts.). You’ll feel right st home!
Ocasio Cortez claims victory, average citizen mourns.
It’s more the tax break which it involved
Those were only guaranteed based on Amazon creating high paying jobs that would pay far more in local taxes than their cost.
This is what I think people miss the most. They think the govt is just sitting on piles of money and give it away to corporations vs investing in roads,etc. When in reality they are going to use the increased tax base to pay for the incentive plus get more benefits.
Some of their ‘high paying jobs’ are just big players that Amazon will move to NYC. Thats not actually ‘creating’ high paying jobs.
That adds to the NYC tax base just the same as a new job.
Smart to cancel. Amazon will still grow in NYC, but without the tax incentives. They aren’t going anywhere. Bezoz wants to be here.
What are u smoking? They are doing nothing in NYC now.
I think, he meant that we ordering from Amazon any way in NYC more than buying from local businesses. So presence headquarters in in city did not bring anything to customers anyway, but City will loose big time on taxes and revenues . I
OY VEY this is terrible
Why, IZZY?
Reports are that 70% of New Yorkers favored that Amazon world be coming. Only a few voicetress politicians and people were against the move. I do not agree with Amazon’s anti-union stance but to get 25,000 positions would be a boom for Queens. The anti-union stance could be worked on. What is going to happen now to Long Island City area. Can someone tell me who would want to move there? Is this area going to fade into oblivion? This is not what New Yorkers want for their city.
Plenty of people live in LIC – for a one-subway-stop commute into manhattan. Check out the rents around that area in Queens. 3-4K/month for a 2-bedroom.
I’m disappointed by the move and blame AOC and the politicians, but you clearly have not been to LIC. The area is booming — for the last 5 years they have been knocking down warehouses and building condos and mixed use office/residential properties.
LIC had before the Amazon announcement, and will continue to have, million dollar condos and high rents in luxury buildings. It’s close to Manhattan with many train lines. The will not fade to oblivion. They need more retail tenants, schools and infrastructure. What they did not need is Amazon coming and putting a drain on the already failing public transit system, and displacing the long time renters of the non-luxury buildings with rising rents.
Stupidity NYC, pure stupidity.
Thanks Dems.. and AOC
Who needs real jobs when the county is becoming socialist.
Can’t wait to hear Ben Shapiro’s reaction to this one
Interesting timing too, right after NY’s Gov Cuomo announced a 2.5 B budget shortfall. Nashville is also one of the fastest growing cities in the USA, and TN has no income tax on salaries.
I wonder if Bezos’ Impending divorce played a factor?
NYC – the largest metropolitan area in the US – does not need to pay $3bn for a company to open an office here. The NYC residential and commercial real estate market, as well as the job market is very healthy, there is no need to drive demand up further, especially to pay $3bn in taxpayer money for it.
And guess what, Amazon already HAS an office in midtown. The ‘new’ jobs wouldn’t be all new anyway.
You fo realize the city isn’t paying Amazon$3B, it’s a tax incentive!
and its only 500 million in tax incentives. AOC and other democrats don’t understand what lose this is to the future of NY and the future employment for youth. They listened to a small group of people complaining about a big business pushing to get a good deal. Amazon deserves an incentive to go anywhere it chooses to.
Bummer… I’m sure something could have been worked out with residents but as usual, they were too quick to judge without hearing anyone out…
Baruch HaShem, I don’t live in New York, but 25,000 jobs over 10 years is insignificant to the amount of new jobs created in nyc over a typical decade, and so no need to give that much tax breaks.
The math doesn’t add up, and that is to be expected. Amazon shopped for the biggest tax breaks, and obviously the perceived winning states, are in fact the biggest losers!!!
You wrote “but 25,000 jobs over 10 years is insignificant”.
Really? Because the NYS Labor Dept says that in 2018, there was a growth of 71000 private sector jobs in the NYC area (https://www.labor.ny.gov/stats/nyc/)
So it seems that 2500 jobs a year (3.5% increase) is very significant.
Very short sighted, making NY hostile investment territory. This precedent will make other large companies with the potential to employ many think twice about NY. I believe in the end it would have been a benefit.
Self dirving cars would have alleviated traffic. These guys problem solve. If they created a mess on traffic or housing… it would affect their people and they would have solved it to everyone’s benefit. This is a massive cash rich company. Stupidest thing I ever saw. Confusing too. Didn’t the cities have to submit bids and proposals? How did it work out that they offered tax incentives and all to attract them… were successful… and then local folks turned. Kind of stupid on whoever pushed the bid out that they did not check in with local politicians and all. Anyway… not to worry… all you New Yorkers will just have to keep supporting the homeless, jobless and also the lazy with more social programs and taxes. No sweat off their backs.
This was our opportunity to get our transportation system out of the stone age. Oh well.
DB is doing a great job destroying nyc. unbelievable. beyond words.
DeBlasio supported Amazon coming to NYC
i live in the DC area and I hope that Amazon changes their plans and moves elsewhere. There are many smaller, well educated, less populated cities that would be a better fit. The traffic is abysmal in this area and will only worsen. How does Amazon being here benefit the average DC citizen. There is no shortage of well paying jobs as it is.
Lesson learned for bezos, he will get nothing from siding with the Dems and be a lefty, they are spiting in his face…
I feel bad for anyone in the real estate industry who recently overpaid in anticipation of Amazon’s arrival. They really can’t be trusted.
If you overpaid for a speculation, balm it on yourself not on the turn of events.
I feel bad for the city who has been turned into a liberal play ground of an idiot leader who wants to be the president of the united states and used the city as his most valuable campaigning asset without really caring about anything but himself and political aspirations.
Bill DB is a cynical heartless man who played the “for the people” card as good as Donald trump played it for the right.
For him, placing homeless shelters in the middle of the best areas of nyc is like for trump building a wall.
He banks on minorities and white liberals.
Him and the likes of AOC are no difference then trump. They all manipulate the people.
shame on them and all those “socialist” and “activists for destroying America.
good thing I left nyc.
Where did you end up leaving to?
Greater Miami.
Well, AOC, let’s go back to the bar!
L’Chaim!!
I may very well leave the state too..
Instead of making money normally, through hard work and entrepreneurial-ship, we (NYers) will now resort to supporting our infrastructure through addiction based measures- Marajuana and gambling. Why is stupidity the new normal?!?!?!? Hashem help us…..
Typical liberal politics. This would have brought in $$$ in the long run for the city and state. They’ll just continue to raise taxes and regulations for the working people who are still stupid enough to stay in NY (NY is one of the few states with decreasing population, and I believe 2nd highest taxes after California). But hey, you don’t win elections by supporting business, do you? You win by giving free handouts…
Yeah, that’s great. Now let’s open another casino, by all means. So dumb.
Nice Job liberals….. Business & Residents are FLEEING the state — why do something that will generate business.
Excellent! Special deals for preferred companies are no way to grow an economy and I wish all cities and states would stop this idiotic race to the bottom. Maybe Cuomo will finally recognize that NY’s tax and regulatory policies are destroying the state. And maybe you would like to buy this lovely bridge …
The incentive was a lower amount of tax. Not a cash gift to Amazon.
Now there’s NO tax from Amazon!
Also no jobs – that they pay for. And the jobs of more restaurants, grocery stores, dry cleaners, etc.
Do you really think Amazon is just gonna give up NYC? there was a reason they chose NYC to begin with (not the tax brakes, although they must have wanted to get the most out of the deal.) so this most just be another part of there plan.
Well thanks to NJ’s you know who, there is no chance Amazon will come to NJ with the minimum wage going up to $15. stupid stupid stupid leadership!
AFAIK, these jobs would not be minimum wage jobs – they’re supposed to be an average of $100-150K/year salaries. Amazon already has logistics and distro centers in Jersey, which are already impacted by those minimum wage laws, except they aren’t. A few months back Amazon offered higher wages to its warehouse workers, but took away incentives and bonuses.
The new breed of “politicians” that hate wealth, are going to bankrupt the country. the have won this battle but lost a major war
At least the islanders will be coming back to the island. Looking forward to playing the preds in the cup
Teachg the socialists a lesson.
They can kill the goose along with its golden eggs.
“I think those local politicians, their careers are over,” said Eric Benaim, chief executive officer of Modern Spaces, a Long Island City brokerage, who distributed pins and posters supporting the Amazon deal. “They’re responsible for losing 25,000 jobs.” —HAHA I win when everyone loses! HAHA Now let all the “gente” get on bread lines for their handout like good sheeple! HAHA Dare you to vote me out before I bankrupt my city! HAHA My eyes are nOT crazy! HAHA
Giving a billionaire taxpayer money to build in a location is just morally wrong.
Nobody was giving anyone free money. They were offering a rebate of a small percentage of taxes that the move would generate, which clauses in effect to make sure that enough high paying jobs were indeed created.
Every city in the country would kill for those high paying jobs and tax base, so NYC did a fine job squandering that victory.
is it morally wrong to buy something from a billionaire? this is just another product/service he is providing/selling.
its not even going to cost NYC that much, its an investment to get all the added revenue this would bring.
why do people hate when people with lots of money make more money?
besides, quality of life would go up tremendously from all the surrounding growth. dont understand at all what the anti movement is about.
Eric Ulrich for Public Advocate!! He was very outspoken on this. He also made defending yeshivos one of his campaign focal points. (see this week’s Yated.)
$3B is a drop in NY bucket. the politician$ will spend the $$$ anyway but can’t bring a new job. All they bring are free loader$. The state lost 0.25% population in spite of thousands of free loaders getting in. NYC is the first thing whole world thinks whenever USA is mentioned. Its a curse to live in NY state.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-florida-see-big-population-gains-while-new-york-illinois-see-big-losses-census-bureau-data-show
I’m a New Yorker and I’m embarrassed that my fellow neighbors are so naive and vote in these moronic democratic/liberal politicians.
https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2019/02/14/nys-population-loss-impacting-suny-enrollment/2679066002/
It stinks not only because of the benefits that Amazon was offering NYC at a time when the entire state is bleeding its middle class, but because now other companies that might have followed Amazon to NYC will look elsewhere. Clearly “progressives” don’t want progress.
Thank god they left real estate prices would of gone through the roof. See what’s going on in San Francisco they cause more harm than good.
Amazon has been well documented that their work environment is an abusive one. Bezos talks out of both sides of his mouth. Amazon overworks and pays its employees minimum wage. No lunch breaks. Penalties for bathroom breaks, etc… Sure, we all enjoy getting a great price. But at what cost to the human beings behind the scene?
Thank G-d they’re not coming into Queens and destroying another community.
First, the giant stadium fiasco. Now this. Another mega deal goes to the wayside.
Its not all zero sum and there would be winners and losers form any deal like this. If you are someone who is looking for a job at AMAZON this is bad. If you are looking to buy and Apt in that hood this is good. If you are a current renter in the neighborhood this is good. If you run a restaurant in the hood it might be good or bad depending on how you adapt to change. ETC… the list can go on and on but the point is there is no subtlety any longer people just say this is good or bad. Its not the case its good for some bad for some
Living in LIC and I’m glad Amazon HQ won’t be built here. The area is overcrowded and has very high traffic patterns as is. With a new massive office building that will generate even more traffic and would expend the normal traffic hours, it would be totally changed from a mostly residential to a commercial feel area. Other results, as the other people mentioned, could be an increase in rent and real estate prices (astronomically high as is), huge construction project with all its disadvantages for the current residents or ppl traveling through the area. This is a big impact on the city and residents have the right to disagree with what politician consider a good deal. With no regards to NYers daily struggles, such commute and the high cost of leaving, politicians jumped on this deal with their personal goals in mind. One fact, most of “available” real estate in that area belongs to one family (check Plaxall Realty) and they are big Mayor de Blasio donors. So the pick of the location wasn’t clear and logically justified. I’m pretty sure that NYC has many other options with better potential for such office, So this is not “dems” or liberal who killed the deal but politicians who had someone else interests and their political careers in mind.
Also, since Amazon decided to freeze the second HQ plan, it isn’t just a refusal from a community. They’ve obviously decided to scale down the initial plan and use that decision to portray the company as very tough negotiators.
Let me get this straight: Amazon agrees to set up shop and add up to 25,000 high-paying environmentally clean jobs that would firmly establish NYC as a tech capital, but a handful of short-sight and misguided politicians torpedo the deal.
Here’s my response to those politicians: Pack your bags. You don’t represent New York. Poll after poll proved that the people, and particularly the lower-income and minority communities, welcomed Amazon. Please resign so that we can get forward-thinking individuals to represent us
I have dual feelings about the decision.
However one thing that people keep posting is “25000 high paying jobs of 100k+ are lost – stupid politicians”.
Where do you think Amazon would have gotten these 25000 people? Import them from Kentucky? How many net new people do you think would drop their current jobs elsewhere with much lower cost of leaving and move to NYC? How many of these jobs would have been H1B at much lower rate, driving the overall tech salaries down?
The pool these jobs would have drawn from is existing Financial/Tech/etc. Some would be graduates but their salaries wont be anywhere near 100k.
The unemployment in high skilled workers in and around NYC is very low. These were not low-skilled jobs for drivers, stackers etc where one can get a license and move from driving cab to Amazon.
Would it have been nice to have hi-tech headquarters in NYC – absolutely. Would it have affected locals negatively and pushed some of them out – no doubt. As usual the whole situation is not black and white but very gray.
New graduates would move to NYC instead of SF if that’s where the jobs were. Locals would step up their education to land a high paying job. Either way, that’s a huge tax base that will now go elsewhere.
As a former New Yorker, 150k does not entice me to move back to NYC and pay those taxes and gas prices again. When you can make very close to that in the South.
Right move by nyc amazon all along wanted to come to nyc they just used virginia as a barganing chip and coumo and blasio who have been nuts lately bent and bent way to much 3billion in breaks for a company that big that all along wanted to come to nyc thats bad negotiations the breaks are equivllant to nyc paying 48thousand dollards per high paying job thats unacceptable.
Radical liberal socialist politicians starting from the mayor down drove away thousands of real jobs and tax revenues so desperately needed.
These politicians are socialist criminals right out of Carl Marx’s teachings.
Aha, so what will happen now to the 3 billion $ “saved” back into NY’s pockets??? Will AOC get it? Does she even “get it”?:)