Connecticut Is Trying To Win Amazon's New Headquarters

With hopes to create almost 50,000 jobs, Connecticut officials are planning to pitch Amazon in order to get the e-commerce giant to build its second headquarters in the state. Hartford mayor Luke Bronin has been among the first to announce plans to pitch the tech giant, according to multiple reports.

Gov. Dannel Malloy and Bronin have teamed up to pitch the state capital as a region, not just an individual city. Amazon wants a city with more than one million residents, a business friendly environment, and urban and suburban locations, according to WTNH.

News 12 also reports the company wants the location to be within 45 minutes of an international airport, have direct access to mass transit, and be able to expand the headquarters to as much as 8-million square feet in the next decade.

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Multiple reports indicate the company plans to hire 50,000 full-time employees over the next five years to high-paying jobs. The jobs would pay more than an average of $100,000 per year. The space would be a "full equal" to their headquarters in Seattle.

Amazon already has two warehouses in Connecticut, and a third one is being planned in North Haven.

Joe McGee, a vice president for public policy and programs at the Business Council of Fairfield County told the Hartford Courant that Fairfield and New Haven could also make a strong case, touting its connections to New York City and other shoreline towns.

Hamden has also thrown its name into the ring. Mayor Curt Leng said the corporate giant should consider bringing its headquarters to Hamden, and said the town is already exploring a "couple of potential parcels."

The addition of Amazon's second corporate headquarters would be a massive boost to a state that has lost two of its largest private sector employers in recent years. General Electric jumped ship to Boston in 2016, leaving its Fairfield home of 42 years behind. Insurance giant Aetna also announced plans to move its corporate headquarters from Hartford to New York City in June.

Amazon directed those interested in submitting pitches to their website, and pitches are due on Oct. 19. According to the Hartford Courant, cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles will compete for the headquarters. Rhode Island has also expressed interest.

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