Reports of Amazon officials revisiting select regions in the running for the company’s second headquarters are trickling in, leaving some cities wondering if they’re still in the game.
Earlier this year, Amazon visited each of the 20 cities contending for its $5 billion second headquarters, dubbed “HQ2.” Since then, things have been awfully quiet in many of the cities competing for the project. But others, like Chicago and Miami, hosted Amazon for repeat visits, according to local newspapers.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon representatives also returned to New York City, and Newark. In September, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and members of the board visited Washington D.C. for a series of speaking engagements and other appointments.
Some leaders in cities that aren’t getting last-minute love from Amazon take the return visits as a sign that they are no longer serious contenders. In an interview with Colorado Public Radio Gov. John Hickenlooper said, “I think there’s a possibility we’re not in the running.”
This week, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto told reporters, “There hasn’t been any contact with Amazon, nor has there been any request by Amazon to meet with any city officials.”
The Journal reports that Raleigh also hasn’t heard anything in months. Austin and Philadelphia reportedly haven’t had return visits either.
Amazon doesn’t comment publicly on the HQ2 search but the company has said it plans to make its announcement by the end of the year. Based on the timing of other big Amazon announcements in the past, HQ2 is likely to be revealed before the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend. The remarkably public, year-long search for Amazon HQ2 has been a nonstop media frenzy likely to continue until the winning city is revealed.
