DETROIT (WWJ/AP) – Amazon has opened the search for a second headquarters, promising to spend more than $5 billion on whatever site it chooses in North America.
Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said Thursday that the new headquarters will be “a full equal” to its Seattle counterpart with as many as 50,000 jobs.
The announcement Thursday will set off a scramble among cities vying to make the short list. No word if Michigan is a viable candidate for the retailer, which is opening a distribution center in Livonia this fall and another in Romulus next year.
Wherever the headquarters ends up, no doubt that local economy will flourish. Amazon estimates that investments in Seattle between 2010 and 2016 added $38 billion to the city’s economy.
There are 24 restaurants and cafes within Amazon’s Seattle campus alone, where more than 20,000 people are employed. The increase in personal income around the Seattle headquarters for people not employed by Amazon increased by about $17 billion due to direct investments, according to the company.
Cities and states with an interest are being advised by Amazon.com Inc. to visit amazon.com/amazonHQ2 for more information.
