Amazon's Bezos Names HQ2 Decision Deadline For NoVA, DC

WASHINGTON, DC — Political and business leaders gathered Thursday to hear a speech by Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos, but they gleaned little insight into whether Washington, D.C., northern Virginia or Maryland would be the home of the company's second headquarters. Last month an oddsmaker ranked Northern Virginia and DC placed first and second among cities or metro areas trying to land Amazon's second headquarters, while Montgomery County, Maryland, was in the top 10 on the new list.

Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, was in DC to attend a dinner marking The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.’s 32nd anniversary. When asked when he'll announce a decision on HQ2's site, the billionaire said it would come "before the end of the year," WTOP reports.

Some of the most likely spots for the second headquarters in NoVa, should the region win the bid, include Herndon and Crystal City in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax-Loudoun counties. Washington, DC, proposed the Anacostia Riverfront, NoMa-Union Station, Capitol Hill East and Shaw-Howard University for an HQ2 site. Bovada released its list of odds for the 20 finalists to get Amazon's 2nd HQ on Aug. 24, and Northern Virginia was at the top of the list with odds of +240. D.C. had odds of +350, followed by Austin at +400 and Boston at +450, according to OddsShark. Montgomery County, Maryland, was seventh with +1200.

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NoVa was one of 238 cities and regions that applied for the project, which would bring 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars to the winning city. The list was winnowed down to 20 in January, and NoVa made the cut along with D.C. and Montgomery County.

The D.C. area owns three spots on the short list -- New York is the only other metro area on the list with more than one (New York and Newark, N.J.).

"Based out of Seattle, Washington, it was inevitable that Amazon would branch out. The company states it expects to invest over $5 billion in construction to include as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs to whichever area it heads next," OddsShark wrote. "From 2010 to 2016, Amazon estimates its investments in Seattle added an additional $38 billion to the city's economy."

An Amazon job listing posted to the DC metropolitan area in July stirred up talk about what it means for frontrunners of the second headquarters in the region.

The economic development manager position involves working on economic incentives with state and local government, as well as chambers of commerce and "other key public/private stakeholder groups." It also involves "supporting the site selection process." The position does not mention working with the federal government. Candidates must have eight or more years of economic incentive or business development experience.

But while the DC area sites have emerged as HQ2 frontrunners, Amazon isn't indicating the job has any ties to the HQ2 site. An Amazon spokesman told the Puget Sound Business Journal the position isn't related to HQ2 and could be based in either DC or Seattle. Amazon has not posted the job in any other location, according to the Journal.

Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First, a watchdog looking at economic incentives, told WAMU the DC area doesn't need to offer incentives because of its large skilled workforce, transportation and nearby airports. However, the competitive nature of the selection process means officials can be pressured to offer incentives.

Luring Amazon's second headquarters to Maryland — which would bring an estimated 50,000 well-paying jobs to the region — is important enough that Gov. Hogan proposed a $5 billion incentive package to boost the state's chances of snagging HQ2. Potential sites have offered incentives to lure the e-commerce company to their areas. While Maryland approved Hogan's tax incentives for Amazon, Virginia and DC have not publicly released their pitches for Amazon, WAMU reports.

The governor posted a photo on Facebook of him chatting with Bezos, which provoked praise from some constituents and criticism from others after a report showed that Amazon has more than a thousand low-wage workers who receive public food assistance. Amazon spokeswoman Lindsay Campbell said full-time employees at fulfillment centers earn $15 per hour, a figure that includes benefits like stock and health insurance. She criticized the state's data as flawed because it includes seasonal and part-time workers.

"Oh joy. Can’t wait to subside Bezos’ tax breaks as a Maryland taxpayer," wrote commenter Mark Freeman.

Maryland's package of state income, property, and sales tax credits and exemptions give the state the most competitive bid possible for Amazon's second headquarters, HQ2, the governor said.

"Amazon sent a clear signal that Maryland truly is open for business by selecting Montgomery County as one of an elite group of contenders for this transformative project," said Hogan said in a news release. "HQ2 is the single greatest economic development opportunity in a generation, and we're committing all of the resources we have to bring it home to Maryland."

PHOTO: The Amazon logo is projected onto a screen at a press conference. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)