“I am very pleased that Atlanta has been named as one of 20
cities selected for Amazon’s HQ2 shortlist,” Bottoms said. “I want to thank the
many partners whose leadership made this possible: Governor Nathan Deal,
Commissioner Pat Wilson, my predecessor Mayor Kasim Reed, Metro Chamber CEO
Hala Moddelmog, and Invest Atlanta CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich. This truly has
been a collaborative effort and I believe our success is a direct result of our
teamwork and willingness to focus on results.”
Amazon HQ2 will be a complete headquarters for Amazon, not a
satellite office. The company plans to invest over $5 billion and grow this
second headquarters to accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs. In
addition to Amazon’s direct hiring and investment, construction and ongoing operation
of Amazon HQ2 is expected to create tens of thousands of additional jobs and
tens of billions of dollars in additional investment in the surrounding
community.
“Our workforce is highly educated and nimble, and already
contributing to the success of our region’s financial technology, cyber security
and tech sector companies,” she said. “Our startup ecosystem is growing and
thriving, supporting young tech entrepreneurs who are launching new apps and
tech companies every day.”
The mayor added that Atlanta is home to the MARTA
transportation system, which is undergoing a major expansion, and the Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport, the busiest passenger airport in the world.
The other 19 locations on the shortlist are Austin, TX,
Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Columbus, OH, Dallas, 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, and Washington, DC.