Amazon HQ2: Chicago Protesters Don't Like City 'Hunger Games'

CHICAGO, IL — Although Amazon hasn't chosen a location for its much-coveted second headquarters, dubbed HQ2, demonstrators gathered Tuesday to protest the "Hunger Games"-style tactics being used by the tech giant to pick its new campus. Amisha Patel, the head of the Grassroots Collaborative, held a faux interview with a person dressed in an Amazon Echo costume to raise questions concerning incentives the Seattle-based company was receiving as part of Chicago's $2.25 billion bid for headquarters.

“We are not OK with Amazon playing 'Hunger Games' with cities like Chicago," Patel said during a City Hall press conference Tuesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "Amazon is creating a race to the bottom with cities competing against each other to see who can give away the most tax dollars to one of the richest companies in the world."

Amazon is expected to spend around $5 billion building and operating HQ2, which is expected to create 50,000 jobs in the area that's eventually chosen. In order to be considered as a potential HQ2 candidates, cities needed to have more than a million people living there, and the cities and surrounding areas needed to be attractive to talented tech workers.

Under the rallying cry "Babies Before Bezos" — a reference to Mayor Rahm Emanuel administration's prioritizing the interests of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos over those of residents — protesters Tuesday rallied at City Hall before moving to the Thompson Center. Throughout the protest, the fake Echo would answer questions mimicking virtual assitant Alexa's voice but not provide details of the deals being offered by the city and the state.

More Patch Amazon HQ2 Coverage:

• Emanuel Releases Chicago's Shatner-Narrated Amazon Bid Video
  
• Amazon HQ2 Search Committee To Tour Chicago
• Chicago, Amazon Talk About 2nd Headquarters In City
• Best Spot For Amazon's HQ2 In Chicago? Mayor Rahm Emanuel Wants Suggestions
• Chicago Submits Amazon HQ2 Bid
• Chicago Lands On Amazon's List For 2nd HQ2

"Wherever Amazon HQ2 ends up, it must directly benefit the people who live and work in that city," Patel said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In January, Chicago made it on the company's list of potential cities, joining New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver and others. Chicago's bid includes 10 possible sites for HQ2, including locations in Schaumburg and Oak Brook.

Last month, an Amazon search committee visited the city as part the company's tour of potential candidates, which also included New York City. During the visit, Chicago leaders generated a William Shatner-voiced video to woo Amazon officials, particularly Bezos, an admitted "Star Trek" fan.

More via the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune

Image via Amazon