Atlanta Slips In Amazon HQ2 Odds

ATLANTA, GA — There's still no word from Amazon. But if Las Vegas oddsmakers are to be believed, Atlanta's chances at becoming home to the online retail giant's second headquarters are slipping.

According to new odds released by online oddsmaker Bovada, Atlanta is only the sixth most-likely location for the new headquarters, which are expected to bring $5 billion in spending and 50,000 high-paying jobs to whichever area ends up getting the nod.

In January, Atlanta was one of 20 finalists announced by Amazon in its search.

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Atlanta, already home to corporate giants like Coca-Cola, Delta and Home Depot, has been mentioned as a favorite by some analysts. But the folks at Bovada aren't convinced.

Northern Virginia is the online bookmaker's favorite, coming in a +240, or, essentially, 2.4-to-1 odds. NoVa is followed by Washington D.C., Boston, Austin and Toronto on the list of favorites. In sixth place, Atlanta is listed as +900 — offering 9-to-1 odds it will be picked.

Earlier this year, Bovada had listed Atlanta as its favorite. As positives, the sports book listed the presence of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta's diverse and vibrant economy and the generous offers made to the company by state and local politicians.

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"However, Atlanta’s recent emergence as one of the South’s dominant economic and political centers has also raised concerns about cost of living and availability of affordable housing," Bovada wrote in January.

Regarding the frontrunner of Northern Virginia, an Amazon job listing in the DC metropolitan area posted in late 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.

Photo courtesy Amazon