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City landmarks to turn orange in honor of Amazon HQ2 bid – Metro US

City landmarks to turn orange in honor of Amazon HQ2 bid

New York City landmarks to turn orange in honor of city's Amazon HQ2 bid.

As the proposal deadline for cities vying to be home to Amazon’s second North American headquarters looms, New York City is lighting up some of its most iconic landmarks Wednesday night.

To support the city’s official bid for what’s being dubbed as “HQ2,” the Empire State Building, One World Trade, 4 Times Square, 1 Bryant Park, Bloomberg Tower, Pier 17 in the Seaport District, billboards in and near Times Square and LinkNYC kiosks across the five boroughs will all turn “Amazon orange” at exactly 9 p.m., the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced.

“The case for bringing Amazon’s new headquarters to New York City is simple: We are the global capital of commerce, culture and innovation,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “No city has stronger talent, greater diversity or a more dynamic economy.”

The landmark lighting comes just days after Newark joined the ranks of dozens of other cities across the country that are clamoring to house what will be the “full equal” to the online retailer’s Seattle headquarters.

While the landmarks will be turning orange in solidarity with the city’s HQ2 bid, New Yorkers are encouraged to join in by sharing photos of the lights using #HQ2NYC.

Additionally, officials released a short video called “Add to Cart, the Day 1 City” to highlight the amenities it can provide to Amazon, which is looking for locations that have a population of more than 1 million, quick access to international airports and lots of space to house the $5 billion facility that could provide 50,000 jobs to the chosen city.

The times the landmarks will be orange vary. To see the complete schedule, visit nycedc.com

What are the odds New York will land Amazon’s HQ2?

Though officials think New York is a prime contender for Amazon’s HQ2, how does the city measure up to some of the other cities bidding?

It’s in the top six, according to a report from Everest Group, a Dallas-based consulting and research firm that centers on strategic IT, business services and sourcing.

Basing its analysis on scalability of talent, business mix, time zone and physical proximity, Everest Group determined that Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Washington, D.C., “are the most viable candidates in the United States,” the report said.

But there’s a caveat: “These cities and others will struggle to accommodate a 50,000-employee knowledge worker set up — which is unprecedented within the United States and Canada.” 

Even if New York City isn’t chosen for Amazon’s HQ2, the company will still have a big presence in the city.

The online retailer is slated to open its first fulfillment center in the state in Staten Island next year, and the 855,000-square-foot facility will provide more than 2,250 full-time jobs.

The company is also bringing 2,000 high-paying finance, sales, marketing and IT jobs — with an average salary of $100,000 — to its forthcoming administrative office at 5 Manhattan West in Hudson Yards.

Amazon is accepting HQ2 proposals until Thursday and is expected to make a location decision sometime next year.