Pittsburgh Primed To Lure New Amazon Headquarters

PITTSBURGH, PA - Pittsburgh plans to bolt out of the starting gate in an attempt to convince the Seattle-based Amazon to built its second headquarters in the city. The stakes are huge: Amazon plans to invest $5 billion in the new campus and hire as many as 50,000 workers to fill it.

Mayor Bill Peduto said his administration already has begun working with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, county economic development officials and corporate, university and foundation leaders on a plan to lure the new facility, dubbed AmazonHQ2. Strategy sessions will begin Friday.

"With an unmatched portfolio of technological talent and intriguing development parcels, Pittsburgh is uniquely positioned to submit a winning bid for Amazon's facility,” Peduto said in a statement. “This is a transformational opportunity unlike any that we've ever seen.”

Proposals are due to Amazon by October 19 and the company plans to choose the winning city next year.

In choosing the location for HQ2, Amazon said it’s looking for:

• Metropolitan areas with more than one million people.

• A stable and business-friendly environment.

• Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent.

• Communities that think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options.

Attracting Amazon probably won’t be inexpensive. The company wants cities bidding on the headquarters to outline that financial incentives they will offer. Those incentives could be assistance with land and site preparation, tax credits or exemptions, relocation grants, workforce grants, utility incentives or grants and permitting and fee reductions.

Photo: Associated Press.