Skip to Content
https://www.wgbh.org/authenticate/login
gbh News

Listen
nancy926.mp3

The Length Cities Will Go To Get Amazon's New Headquarters

ap_16153504028615.jpg
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos walks onstage for the launch of the new Amazon Fire Phone, in Seattle.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Listen 18:24
nancy926.mp3

Cities from all across the United States are voraciously wooing Amazon’s chief executive Jeff Bezos in an effort to entice him to build the new Amazon headquarters in their backyard.

The New York Times reports that business leaders in Tucson tried to mail Bezos a 21-foot cactus and mayors across the country have been posting YouTube videos pledging their devotion to the company, including the mayor of Danbury, Connecticut, Mark D. Boughton, who touted himself as a “proud Amazon Customer.”

These business leaders and mayors stand to gain immensely and potentially change their cities forever if Amazon picks them. The internet giant plans to invest $5 billion and 50,000 well-paying jobs.

“Towns and cities are willing to promise all kinds of stuff to Amazon – tax breaks, relocation credits, prime real estate,” said Harvard Business School historian Nancy Koehn during an interview with Boston Public Radio Tuesday.

“It is extraordinary the bidding war going on,” she said.

Click above to listen to our interview with Harvard Business School Historian Nancy Koehn.

  • Jason Turesky
    Jason Turesky

    Jason Turesky is an Associate Producer for Boston Public Radio.


Trustworthy journalism, available for free to everyone

Every day GBH News journalists and program hosts come together to deliver timely information and intelligent analysis about what today’s news means to our community and our culture, for free to everyone. Donors make that happen, and every donor counts. If you can right now, please consider a donation in any amount. Donations can start at $5.
Expand defs>