War Rooms, Tax Breaks, and Sappy Videos—It's Deadline Day for Amazon HQ2

In a first for urbanism, Amazon turned a request for proposals into a hashtag. Welcome to #AmazonHQ2 day.

5 minute read

October 19, 2017, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Amazon Fulfillment Center

By Ken Wolter / Shutterstock

Since the day Amazon released a request for proposals announcing its intentions to open a new, second headquarters, cities all over the continent have been lining up to make their pitch to bring the economic development bonanza to their town. Commentary on the subject of Amazon's impending decision has coalesced into several themes:

  • Does Our Fair City Have What it Takes to Win Amazon's Second Headquarters?
  • I Am an Expert on Cities and Here Is Where I Predict Amazon Will Locate its Second Headquarters
  • Silly Cities Trying for the Second Amazon Headquarters But We All Know Have No Chance
  • Amazon Wants an Urban Area for its Second Headquarters, but Options Are Limited 
  • Cities Will Break the Bank Pursuing the Second Amazon Headquarters
  • The Texas Miracle—Amazon Edition
  • Any Headline With the Words Amazon and Trump

There might be some outliers, but that about covers it. 

Today, October 19, 2017, is the day bids were due on Amazon's request for proposals, and hundreds of cities have lined up to throw their hats in the ring. Twitter has been overwhelmed by the #AmazonHQ2 hashtag, local and national media outlets alike have mobilized to cover the horse race, and cities and states are clamoring to share the fruits of a month of over-time and multi-media strategizing.

So here is a compendium of all the media coverage, social media blasts, and promotional materials I could scrape off the Internet this morning, on this Amazoniest of days. I'll do my best to add more as I find more, and of course, we'll be waiting for the big day when Amazon is going to disappoint all of these bidders but one. For the record, I have no idea which city Amazon will pick, but I do have an idea that the prize might not be worth the price.

Cities Make Their Pitch

National Perspective

Department of Dissent

Institutional Offerings

#AmazonHQ2


James Brasuell

James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row.

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

April 25 - Associated Press

City Hall building in Austin, Texas.

Austin Launches $2M Homelessness Prevention Fund

A new grant program from the city’s Homeless Strategy Office will fund rental assistance and supportive services.

April 25 - Spectrum Local News

Brick school building with mid-sized tree on front lawn.

Alabama School Forestry Initiative Brings Trees to Schoolyards

Trees can improve physical and mental health for students and commnity members.

April 25 - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Write for Planetizen