Dallas-Fort Worth is one step closer to being home to the next Amazon headquarters.
Amazon reviewed 238 proposals from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to host the company’s second North American headquarters.
"We have this morning’s announcement that the DFW region will advance in next round in Amazon's HQ2,” said Hilda Galvan former Dallas Regional Chamber Chair.
It seems fitting the Dallas Regional Chamber announced the big news about Amazon's top 20 list to business leaders at their annual banquet. The region was made the short list for Amazon’s Second Headquarters.
"I think it's great news the area has been named finalist for Amazon,” said State Sen. Royce West.
Details about the regional bid are limited. The Dallas Regional Chamber pushed the bid to Amazon and said North Texas made the cut because the North Texas economy is thriving and is one of the fastest growing technology industries in the nation.
"We are now the 4th fastest growing tech markets when it comes to tech workers only behind San Francisco, San Jose and New York City,” said Chamber President Dale Petroskey.
The chamber said since 2010, 75 Corporate headquarters have moved to the DFW area, creating more than 700,000 new jobs and a million new people have moved here.
"It was very important to convey the scale of this region and prosperity of this region, the availability of talent in this region, not only talent here, but our ability to grow talent,” said Mike Rosa of Dallas Regional Chamber said.
Some other cities are offering huge tax incentives and the promise to build new infra structure and roads to land Amazon's second headquarters. Business leaders said DFW already has all that.
"I think when companies or other cities can't compete with us, they have to give all those incentives. It's because they don't have the environment or tax base that is good for their company,” said Dallas Council Woman Jennifer Staubach Gates.
While this is a regional proposal, Amazon would have to choose which North Texas city would get the headquarters. For now, no one is revealing which city might have the edge.
The chamber is now waiting for Amazon to tell them what they need to do next. They still need to know what more Amazon wants to make DFW’s bid more attractive.
Amazon is not giving a deadline or timetable and keeping quiet about the next step.
The company announced it has chosen the following 20 cities to move to the next phase of the selection process:
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Boston, MA
- Chicago, IL
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Denver, CO
- Indianapolis, IN
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Montgomery County, MD
- Nashville, TN
- Newark, NJ
- New York City, NY
- Northern Virginia, VA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Raleigh, NC
- Toronto, ON
- Washington D.C.
The Dallas Regional Chamber and Fort Worth Chamber released this statement:
“One of the most compelling aspects of our proposal was the diversity of options we offer as a regional hub of economic development,” said Brandom Gengelbach, executive vice president of economic development for the Fort Worth Chamber. “We are excited that Amazon has determined that our region’s proposal merits additional consideration, and we’re confident that upon further inspection Amazon will soon realize all of the reasons why this region has been a magnet for corporate headquarters locations in recent years.”
Governor Abbott released the following statement:
"Texas is the land of opportunity, and I am thrilled to see that Amazon has included both Austin and Dallas as finalists for its forthcoming HQ2. Texas is a hotbed for the tech industry, and both Austin and Dallas have proven themselves to be among the most sought after locations for companies looking to grow and thrive. When industry leaders like Amazon consider investing in the Lone Star State, they know that our our low-tax and limited-regulation environment will appeal to a company’s bottom line. Texas has also repeatedly been recognized as having one of the best - if not the best - workforces in America. I am confident that the economic advantages of an Amazon expansion in Texas speak for themselves, and make either Austin or Dallas an ideal fit for Amazon’s HQ2."
Several other North Texas cities were included in the bidding, including Denton, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Arlington, and Grapevine, according to the Dallas Business Journal.
See McKinney and Frisco's creative bids below: