Minneapolis makes Axios' list of top contenders for new Amazon HQ
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - With the announcement that Amazon was seeking a new location for a second headquarters--bringing with it 50,000 well-paying jobs--came the inevitable nationwide scramble to unfurl the welcome mat and put together offers for the tech giant.
Minnesota boasts a stable economy and low housing costs, both important factors. Governor Mark Dayton and state officials plan to spend Friday--and the weeks to come, presumably--putting together a comprehensive incentives package for Amazon.
Though it's unlikely to top Wisconsin's more than $3 billion incentive package to electronics manufacturer Foxconn, Axios still ranks Minneapolis among its top 5 contenders for the expansion alongside Denver, Chicago, Phoenix and Detroit.
Citing its status as an emerging tech hub and university town, the only downsides are having to share the city with Target--a major competitor--and a less developed public transportation system in relation to peer cities.
Amazon's criteria for interested cities were listed as:
- More than a million people
- Ability to "retain and attract" talent, including access to a top-tier university
- Business friendly environment
- Diverse population
- Well functioning local transit system
- Access to an international airport