DENVER — Colorado's ever-growing economy could swell with 50,000 new jobs if Amazon accepts a recently submitted proposal to locate its second headquarters in the Centennial State.
Governor John Hickenlooper said the state officially submitted its proposal a day ahead of the Oct. 19 deadline, submitting eight locations throughout the state. Those locations were not divulged to the public, although Amazon had a hefty checklist that suggests any chosen location would be in the greater Denver metro area.
“What better place for a second home than Colorado for Amazon?” Hickenlooper said. “I’m confident our proposal will be as competitive as any and will build on the current investment Amazon has made in our state. We believe that Colorado, and this region, can deliver more for Amazon than any other in North America. Our economy, workforce readiness initiatives, educational institutions and quality of life will all be stronger and more vibrant with a large Amazon presence in Colorado.”
Those qualities, including the robust infrastructure already built in the state, are expected to make an attractive bid to the online retailing giant. J. J. Ament, CEO of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, said the proposal lines up the region's assets and how it would support the retailer.
"Colorado's proposal provides Amazon with a unique opportunity to invest in a community that boasts a talented workforce, unrivaled quality of life and the creativity to invest in the future. We believe our regional collaboration represented in this proposal shows Amazon that we work together in this community to attract major opportunities and leadership that expands our ecosystem."
Denver7 reached out to several cities to see if they were included in the final bid. Westminster and Lone Tree submitted proposals to the state but officials there did not know if they made the cut.
“Would I love to have it in Westminster, absolutely. But I don’t know where I’m at on the list, or if I’m still on the list," said Herb Atchinson, the Mayor of Westminster.
The Amazon announcement that they would build a second headquarters drew interest from a host of states and cities which found themselves lusting after the opportunity to attract 50,000 new jobs and the economic benefits that would follow.
Colorado may not have the financial ability to offer incentives like Newark, N.J., which offered $7 billion in incentives, but it is recognized as a front runner by many in the race for Amazon's attention. The New York Times even named Denver the top location for "HQ2."
Colorado's offer to Amazon may not include a $7 billion incentive, but it did offer interesting things like 300 days of sunshine and some of the world's best craft beer.
Tap here to learn about some of the interesting offers Amazon has seen, including a massive cactus from Arizona.
