Amazon Cancels Plans to Build Long Island City Campus
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 the opposition of the project faced since the official HQ2 announcement in November.
“For Amazon, the commitment to build and new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term, "the statement reads. , it was clear that the project was doomed.
"We are disappointed with this conclusion — we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture — and especially the c ommunity of Long Island City, where we have 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 consistently spoke to the benefits the campus would bring to New York's economic 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 shown 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 for this time, and will continue with new offices in Virginia and Nashville.
to Long Island City because of steadfast opposition
The project has been rejected by several activist groups, many based in Queens, which organized heavily around the planned campus entirely since the city and state jointly announced the Long Island City campus selection on Nov. 13.
Reasons for opposing the project ranged from the billions in tax incentives the company would receive as part of its move to Queens, to its potential impact on fueling gentrification and displacement, its anti-union stance, and the closed-door negotiations with the city and state leading to the official HQ2 announcement.
While Amazon did not name the state and city officials that "made it clear that they oppose our presence" shop, State Sen. Mike Gianaris and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, have been central voices in the fight against the project. Both initially signed letters in 2017 urging the company to select Long Island City in its HQ2 search.
Van Bramer, in a statement, celebrated the trillion-dollar corporation's decision.
“When our community fights together, anything is possible even when we're up against the biggest corporation in the world, ”he said.
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