Emanuel Releases Chicago's Shatner-Narrated Amazon Bid Video

CHICAGO, IL — Mayor Rahm Emanuel posted Chicago's official Amazon HQ2 pitch video in a tweet Friday afternoon. The post comes after members of an Amazon search committee reportedly visited Chicago to meet with local leaders last week. William Shatner narrates the video, which talks about why Chicago and Amazon's second headquarters were meant for each other.

"Really, the press release writes itself," Shatner narrates. "And there's something to be said for the poetry of it all," he explains, referencing the "Second City" as Amazon's second city.

Shatner then calls out those who are skeptical about Chicago being chosen for HQ2, and references the Great Chicago Fire as an example of the city's resilience and determination to plow forward despite the odds.

"Before the architects finished the plans, we began rebuilding and re-inventing ourselves as an economic powerhouse, a thriving ecosystem of transit and tech. An icon of culture and community, and a destination for doers and dreamers," Shatner says in the video.

Bezos loves the Star Trek franchise so much that he even made a cameo appearance as an alien Starfleet official in Paramount Picture's "Star Trek Beyond." In 2014, Bezos nominated Shatner and fellow Star Trek stars Patrick Stewart and George Takei for the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Chicago's bid for HQ2 was submitted in October, and it was one of 238 proposals Amazon received. In January, Chicago made it on the company's list of potential cities, joining New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver and others.

Amazon is expected to spend around $5 billion building and running HQ2, which is expected to create 50,000 jobs in the area that's eventually chosen. In order to be considered as a potential HQ2 candidates, cities needed to have more than a million people living there, and the cities and surrounding areas needed to be attractive to talented tech workers.

More Patch Coverage:

• Amazon HQ2: Search Committee To Tour Chicago, Report Says
• Chicago, Amazon Talk About 2nd Headquarters In City
• Best Spot For Amazon's HQ2 In Chicago? Mayor Rahm Emanuel Wants Suggestions
• Chicago Submits Amazon HQ2 Bid
• Chicago Lands On Amazon's List For 2nd HQ2

Main image via City of Chicago