Amazon HQ2

Imagine doubling the number of 50,000 workers at Research Triangle Park’s more than 250 companies with the addition of one company: The new Amazon headquarters project. What would be the economic impact on the Triangle? Two economists share their view: “Huge” and “Huge is an understatement.” The unemployment rate will drop. The hunt for already scarce employees in some specialties will worsen. Prices of houses will go up. The economic impact would be billions of dollars a year. And there might be problems- like runoff from more homes. WRAL TechWire talked with NCSU’s Michael Walden and East Carolina’s James...

Developer John Kane and the Research Triangle Regional Partnership are helping assemble a task force to prepare a “regional response” in pitching for the Amazon HQ2 project. Farad Ali, president and Chief Executive Officer at The Institute (Economic Development) in Durham, and Nate Spilker, vice president of Product Management at Citrix, “have been asked to serve as co-chairs of this task force,” according to Partnership spokesperson Ryan Combs. Ali is a candidate for mayor in Durham’s upcoming election. Other task force members names are not being disclosed “because of the competitive nature of this project,” Combs added. “As you...

Editor’s note: Dr. Mike Walden is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension Economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University who teaches and writes on personal finance, economic outlook, and public policy. RALEIGH – When I joined the faculty of North Carolina State University four decades ago, buying books – an occupational necessity for academics – was tedious and time-consuming. I’d first contact the NCSU Bookstore, who then ordered the book from the publisher. When it arrived – usually weeks later – I would then spend at least 45 minutes walking...

A united front to put together a response to Amazon’s request for proposals to land its $5 billion HQ2 project and some 50,000 jobs is being put together by local business and economic development teams. A group met on Tuesday. Here’s a look at what’s happening. “The Research Triangle region has a long history of strong collaboration working projects, and this RFP is no exception. Economic development teams and business leaders from the RTP, Wake, Durham, Orange, and Chatham are all working together with EDPNC [Economic development Partnership for North Carolina] to submit a joint bid to bring Amazon...

John Kane, the mastermind behind the continuing evolution of Raleigh’s North Hills into one of the southeast’s premier multi-use developments, sees the Triangle as being a legitimate contender for Amazon’s mammoth HQ2 project. But he also says government has to take the lead in wooing Jeff Bezos and company for the deal. Kane, who heads Kane Realty and chairs the Research Triangle Regional Partnership which has undergone considerable reorganization under his guidance. shared his excitement and thinking about the $5 billion project Amazon launched last week. “The Governor, Secretary of Commerce and EDPNC [Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina]...

NC Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina are staying mum about the mammoth Amazon HQ2 project, although Copeland says “North Carolina has a great story to tell.” However, the Research Triangle Foundation, which oversees RTP, already is working on a proposal to present to Amazon. And the Research Triangle Regional Partnership also is excited about the project. WRAL TechWire reached out to Commerce and the private-public EDPNC for comment after news broke early Thursday that Amazon was seeking proposals for a second headquarters. The ecommerce giant says the project will be worth $5...

Speculation is rampant over what metro areas hold the most allure for a second Amazon headquarters and the project’s $5 billion investment along with 50,000 jobs. Here are some leaders, based on media and other reports. [Check links with this post for WRAL TechWire’s stories published earlier about the Amazon feeding frenzy.] Steve Goldstein, Marketwatch “[O]ur finalist list for Amazon’s second headquarters: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Bridgeport, Denver, New York, Provo, Raleigh, Tampa and Washington.Amazon on Thursday announced it was looking for another city to host what it calls its second headquarters.” Goldstein reviewed Amazon’s RFP requirements and compared...

Leaders at the Research Triangle Foundation wasted no time when news broke before dawn that Amazon was shopping for a second headquarters worth $5 billion and 50,000 jobs. They are already working on a proposal and lining up partners. “We think RTP is the perfect place for a new Amazon headquarters; we’ll be working with our Economic Development Partners in Wake and Durham Counties to put together a proposal in the coming weeks,” says Michael Pittman, vice president of marketing and communications for the Foundation, which oversees RTP management and development. “We were not aware of this project, but...