Amazon.com has announced intentions to build a second headquarters in North America. The headquarters would produce roughly 50,000 jobs and cost $5 billion to build and operate. Amazon is looking for a metro area with over 1,000,000 people and "big and creative" solutions for their new headquarters.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/07/amazon-plans-second-headquarters-dubbed-hq-2/640861001/

The State of Florida, City of Tampa, City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas County Government, and Hillsborough County Government should work to secure land and economic incentives to ensure the Tampa Bay area lands the headquarters. The region lags behind other similar metropolitan areas in key economic development factors such as median wage that effect everyone's quality of life in the region. An Amazon headquarters would change that. 

Market Watch has speculated Tampa would be on the short list, based off the criteria Amazon put out and other business-friendly factors.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/here-are-the-cities-that-meet-the-criteria-for-amazons-second-headquarters-2017-09-07

The cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg have numerous options that could house the headquarters. In Tampa the options include:

1. Port of Tampa redevelopment plan - https://www.tampaport.com/Real-Estate/Channel-District-Vision

2. Redevelopment of the Tampa Park Apartments  - https://www.draysbay.com/2016/1/26/10800980/tampa-bay-rays-stadium-tampa-park-apartments

3. Encore (in conjunction with Tampa Park Apartments) - http://encoretampa.com/

4. Water Street Tampa (in conjunction with neighboring Con Arga Mills) - http://waterstreettampa.com/

And in St. Petersburg, the current location of Tropicana Field - http://www.stpete.org/city_initiatives/tropicana_field_conceptual_master_plan/

We call on Governor Rick Scott, the Florida Legislature, and the local governments comprising the Tampa Bay area to secure Amazon's new headquarters in the Tampa Bay area.