Keeping it local: King, Snohomish counties bid for Amazon HQ

SEATTLE – Washington state’s King and Snohomish counties are urging Amazon to keep its second headquarters local.

In a joint bid for the company’s “HQ2” submitted Thursday, the counties touted “a world-class workforce,” “unbeatable lifestyle” and “sustainable environment with a growing public transportation infrastructure.” They offered up 10 potential sites for Amazon to choose from: Arlington and Marysville; Auburn; Bellevue; Bothell; Everett; Kenmore; Lynnwood; Renton; Tukwila; and the Tulalip Tribes’ reservation.

The bid is considered a longshot, considering that it might not make sense for Amazon to have a second headquarters in the same area as its Seattle hometown.

Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and King County Executive Dow Constantine also cited the region’s education system, and collaborative business climate. As part of the bid, the Washington State Department of Commerce identified five tax credits and grants that could be applied to Amazon. They also noted that Everett’s Paine Field will launch commercial air travel next year.