WHEREAS, On Thursday, September 7, 2017, Amazon announced that it is seeking to
open a second company headquarters in North America (“Amazon HQ2”), and would
conduct a comprehensive search to decide on the location; and
WHEREAS, According to their Request for Proposals (“RFP”), the HQ2 campus will require up to 8 million square feet of new space, may invest more than $5 billion in physical infrastructure, and employ up to 50,000 new full-time workers in the years following commencement of operations; and
WHEREAS, The RFP highlighted specific requirements for an ideal site, including a metropolitan area of at least 1 million people, greenfield or infill space available to meet Amazon’s space needs in multiple phases, access to mass transit on site, proximity to a major international airport, and a location able to attract and retain strong, technical talent; and
WHEREAS, The opportunity to become the second home of a multinational company promising significant jobs and capital expenditures is an obvious step for qualified cities, especially one as superlative as the City of Philadelphia, which has submitted its proposal this day; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is already home to hardy entrepreneurs, successful enterprises, inspiring nonprofits, talented students, and many worthwhile endeavors that bring our residents together; and
WHEREAS, To prepare its response, the City organized the groundswell of enthusiasm from civic entities, eager residents, business partners, and many other interested stakeholders to accelerate ongoing efforts to promote the City; and
WHEREAS, The Administration has learned a great deal about the business opportunities, the state of our various industries, and other information that will be useful regardless of Amazon’s location decision; and
WHEREAS, The effort to attract Amazon HQ2 can help crystallize our reputation as a global city, including business, and we should keep the momentum going by exploring lessons learned, repurposing materials generated, and enhancing our business climate; now
,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby authorize the Committee of the Whole to hold hearings on Philadelphia’s Amazon HQ2 proposal.
End