via Amazon
Feb. 14, 2019 By Nathaly Pesantez
Amazon has pulled out of its plans to build a campus in Long Island City, the company said today in a bombshell announcement.
The e-commerce giant released a lengthy statement on its blog earlier this morning that said the reasoning was tied to the opposition the project faced since the official HQ2 announcement in November.
“For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term,” the statement reads.
Amazon referred to polls that showed strong support for the Anable Basin campus and the deal that brought it to the table, but said the staunch opposition, especially by state and local politicians, made it clear that the project was doomed.
“We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion—we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture—and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents,” the company said.
Amazon thanked Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, who supported the project from the start and spoke to the benefits it would bring to New York’s livelihood and vitality.
“Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have worked tirelessly on behalf of New Yorkers to encourage local investment and job creation, and we can’t speak positively enough about all their efforts.” Amazon said. “The steadfast commitment and dedication that these leaders have demonstrated to the communities they represent inspired us from the very beginning and is one of the big reasons our decision was so difficult.”
The company said it does not intend to reopen the HQ2 search at this time, and will proceed as planned in Virginia and Nashville.
This is a developing story, check back for more information.
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