Today, Seattle Mayor Tim Burgess reiterated the city’s plans to respond to Amazon’s search for a second North American headquarters, with King County leading the charge.
He pledged to “respond to this Amazon challenge in partnership with King County” during a speech outlining his proposed 2018 budget before the Seattle City Council Monday.
Burgess stressed that Seattle is participating in a regional response to Amazon’s request for proposals. In other words, the pitch could include a facility in a neighboring city, rather than in Seattle proper.
Previously: Can Seattle handle more Amazon? How the tech giant’s first hometown could pursue its second HQ
If the response does propose a Seattle location, it is likely to be in the Sodo neighborhood, given Amazon’s voracious appetite for office space. The second headquarters is expected to comprise up to 8 million square feet of office space for some 50,000 employees.
It’s likely that Burgess reiterated Seattle’s commitment to respond to Amazon’s RFP because the city’s government is in the midst of a historic period of upheaval. The former councilmember’s term as mayor will only last until the November election. Last week, he took the seat over from Councilmember Bruce Harrell who served as mayor for just a few days in the wake of Ed Murray’s resignation.
Continue reading for Burgess’s full statement on Amazon, delivered to the Seattle City Council Monday.
We received a jolt a few weeks ago when one of our local companies announced plans to open a second headquarters. Amazon’s decision to launch and grow here has brought tremendous benefits and real challenges. We will respond to this Amazon challenge in partnership with King County and other municipal and county governments in our region. I met last week with County Executive Dow Constantine and we agreed to work together — with King County in the lead. We will not only respond to Amazon; we will also form a strategic partnership with others in our region to focus on economic stability and growth.
Jobs matter, and government can help create an environment where businesses can launch and soar, where workers and their families can benefit, where our children can learn the skills needed in the 21st century, and where we can raise the tax revenues necessary to care for our people and implement the values we dearly hold. Our businesses — from the smallest to the largest—are an essential part of making such social benefits possible.
