Did Amazon successfully trick cities and states around the country into a bidding war that gave it leverage to negotiate with the two cities ― New York City and Arlington, Virginia ― it planned to launch in all along?
The company will probably never say, but the range of perks that so many places offered hints at just how much control Amazon, a company headed by the richest man in the world, wielded in this year-long game.
Not all governments have released the details of their bids, but those that have showed just how much they were willing to put on the line. Aside from the billions in tax incentives most locales offered, here’s a look at five of the most outrageous things governments brought to the table ― often at the expense of taxpayers.
Free Pets, Hotel Rooms, Aquarium Memberships And More
Dallas is perhaps the best instance of a city’s willingness to sweeten the deal with extravagant perks, offering up taxpayer dollars to provide free things to Amazon employees.
That offer included free one-year memberships to the Dallas Zoo, Dallas Children’s Aquarium, Dallas Arboretum, Texas Discovery Gardens and the Trinity River Audubon Center for any employee hired between 2019 and 2021, and waived pet adoption fees at the Dallas Animal Services adoption center for Amazon employees until 2022.
One of the pricier perks offered was an estimated $1.5 million in free rides on “shuttles, pedicabs, courtesy carts, or other quick transit solutions” to help HQ2 employees get around while the city improves its transit system.
Additionally, Dallas offered the company 2,000 free nights at a city-owned hotel and 100 free days of event space.
Renaming Public Property For Amazon
The state of Georgia said Amazon would have the opportunity to rename streets around a future campus in Atlanta.
Suggestions included Amazon Lane, Alexa Way, Prime Place and Kindle Rd.
“Simply put, Atlanta has a long history of Amazon love,” the state said in its attempt to woo the company.
It also promised to explore the possibility of turning one of Atlanta’s MARTA transit cars into a vehicle for transporting Amazon products around the metropolitan area.
Notice If The Media Is Looking Into Amazon
It wasn’t just the helicopter landing pad that helped Virginia win over a slice of the new Amazon headquarters. As part of its offer, the state will notify the company within two days of receiving any Freedom of Information Act requests about Amazon “to allow the Company to seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy.”
FOIA requests are often filed by members of the media to obtain previously unreleased information or documents controlled by the U.S. government. For example, it was through a FOIA request that The Daily Beast revealed last month that Amazon had met with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pitch the agency on its facial recognition surveillance technology.
A Say In How Taxes Would Be Spent
Fresno, California, offered Amazon the chance to be the “ultimate corporate citizen,” as Fresno Mayor Lee Brand described it to KQED, by letting Amazon have joint say with the city in how the taxes the company paid would be spent.
The deal would have established a so-called Amazon Community Fund for Amazon’s tax money to be managed by five people: two elected officials, one community representative and two Amazon appointees.
“I’ve never seen a proposal to give a company formal control,” Greg LeRoy, executive director of the economic development nonprofit Good Jobs First, told KQED. “That’s really off the charts.”
A ‘Blank Check’ For Transit Projects
While many bids include promises to make transit easier for HQ2 employees, Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn took things a step further in the state’s bid.
“Our statement for HQ2 is we’ll provide whatever is necessary to Amazon when they need it,” he told state senators during a hearing on his department’s budget. “For all practical purposes, it’s a blank check.”
That amount, he continued, “could be more or could be less” than the $2 billion in unspecified transportation upgrades already laid out in the state’s formal bid.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.