‘Holy Toledo!’ Officials, execs talk N.C.’s chances of landing Amazon HQ2
(Triangle Business Journal, Thursday, September 7, 2017)
As Amazon unveiled plans to seek out the location for a second North American headquarters, economic developers started salivating Thursday, including those in North Carolina.
That’s because the project – an investment potentially worth $5 billion – means as many as 50,000 jobs for the winning region.
Joe Milazzo, executive director of the Regional Transportation Alliance business coalition, says the Triangle also has the logistics to attract Amazon. He points to interstate connectivity and Raleigh-Durham International Airport – “The most connected mid-size nonhub airport in America is right here.
“And we have a demonstrated willingness of this community to invest in our own future,” he says, noting that all three Triangle counties voted in favor of a transit referendum to further build out transportation infrastructure. “I know many other markets – including Amazon’s current location – didn’t vote for it the first time … We have those votes in place and the funding resources to go with that.”