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Traffic in Hampton Roads is nothing. You guys should get out more.

I wonder if the fiber optic in Virginia Beach helps?

Yeah our traffic is mediocre relatively to other metro areas.

But compared to 20 years ago or 40 it's crazy here.

And I was thinking the trans Atlantic fiber might play into decision but without a robust transit system or airport we're not a option.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

Not necessarily that the traffic is bad now it's just the traffic infrastructure is unable to accomodate more. Adding 50000 more commuters would be very tough.

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Quote:1) The company wants to be near a metropolitan area with more than a million people.
2) It’s looking to attract top technical talent.
3) It wants to be within 45 minutes of an international airport.
4) It’s looking for direct access to mass transit.
5) It needs 8 million square feet to expand its headquarters in the next decade – roughly the same size as its current base in Seattle, which has 33 buildings, 23 restaurants and 40,000 workers.

If this is the criteria being used, then I wouldn't get my hopes up over this at all. The comment from Virginia Beach councilmember John Atkinson "Millennials who want public transportation and dense living aren’t a good fit for Virginia Beach and should move to Norfolk" basically rules out line-items 2 and 4. And seeing how much some VB residents are resisting becoming an actual city rather than a glorified beachtown/Norfolk suburb, I don't think the culture that Amazon is looking for is there.

It'd be great if it happened though.

This is a moon shot. But, you gotta be public with things like this and get your name out there. Doing the right thing. The next big company will maybe go hmmm that might be a good fit for us. Maybe not 5B, 50k, big. But it's like our donor base. Rather have 100,000 50 a year donors than a couple bigger ones.

I would love for this to happen. That way i can move to Norfolk/VB and not take a huge pay cut(remains to be seen). Guys talking about terrible traffic obviously has never been to HotLanta or LA.

Ya, I wouldn't even consider MARTA a good transit situation for Amazon.

(09-08-2017 09:26 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  Ya, I wouldn't even consider MARTA a good transit situation for Amazon.

Definitely not. They will only make it worse.

Would be shocked if they select anywhere other than DC.

(09-08-2017 04:26 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  I have a little blood in what the city does with the site. I own 174 acres near the site. Between the City, Navy, Army Corp, and VA Department of Game it is impossible to do anything with my land. I am tore between selling out to one of them groups or fighting what seems to be the impossible. Army Corp hit me with a warning that I am no longer allowed to clear my drainage ditches on my farm so when it rains it damages my crops to the point its barely profitable to farm it. State wildlife officers and environmentalist tore up a good part of my farm trying to find fire ants and protected rattlesnakes after planting now I'm getting hell from peta about my damage stamps

Have you ever thought about moving towards indoor hydroponics instead?

(09-08-2017 10:42 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Would be shocked if they select anywhere other than DC.

It would have to be Loudon Co. or someplace if they want a bunch of land. And it won't come cheap.

(09-09-2017 06:02 AM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(09-08-2017 10:42 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Would be shocked if they select anywhere other than DC.

It would have to be Loudon Co. or someplace if they want a bunch of land. And it won't come cheap.

The DC mayor and PG County mayor both announced intentions of making bids. Not sure about Loudon. Either way, there's a lot of stiff competition for this with LA, SF and Chicago in it as well.

Loudoun is essentially the data center capital and there is tons of available land. That might be a good spot for them.

(09-08-2017 11:58 PM)xxxoduxxx Wrote:  

(09-08-2017 04:26 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  I have a little blood in what the city does with the site. I own 174 acres near the site. Between the City, Navy, Army Corp, and VA Department of Game it is impossible to do anything with my land. I am tore between selling out to one of them groups or fighting what seems to be the impossible. Army Corp hit me with a warning that I am no longer allowed to clear my drainage ditches on my farm so when it rains it damages my crops to the point its barely profitable to farm it. State wildlife officers and environmentalist tore up a good part of my farm trying to find fire ants and protected rattlesnakes after planting now I'm getting hell from peta about my damage stamps

Have you ever thought about moving towards indoor hydroponics instead?

Its a sad state of affairs happening in our farming community. The avg. age of a farmer is 60 years plus. Corporate farming with help of bureaucrats are forcing us small farmers out. When I was a younger I was interested in hydroculture and aquaculture ideas. I'm a 4th gen farmer and now farming comes secondary to my career. There was a hobbyist farmer who did great with hydroponic and aquaponics in Chesapeake until a northeastern hit and totaled their operation. Between the agriculture department and regs its not cost effective for them now. I fear the same if I put in the investment for infrastructure the flooding caused from not being able to clear drainage ditches will damage operations. I'm currently studying Joel Salatin Polyface Farm and permaculture/ sustainable agriculture ideas with a focus on becoming a market farmer with direct to the consumer products. But like anything there are loopholes and laws/regs to navigate around. My hopes are if FTW Farm is developed in to a mega site with a village type housing I can capitalize on them folks! I'm in my mid 30s and farming was my backup/ retirement plan.

Hi All.
I drive by amazon's current headquarters every day on my commute to work.
It was a shock to the city when this was announced this week.
The mayor of Seattle called a meeting with Bezos to see what more could be done for amazon.
Too little too late for that meeting to happen.

Many experts feel the move is meant to spread the risk of having the nerve center of the company in one location that could be threatened by a natural disaster. Houston or Miami anyone? An earthquake could be that threat overs here.

But the announcement said "North American" city which opens up Canada. Many feel it will go to somewhere like Toronto. Havin a joint HQ in Canada allows amazon to be free from trade or government risks imposed on the US (or by the US, e.g. Immigration on foreign talent)

It's definitely a shock, but not as bad as when Boeing announced it was leaving for Chicago.

(09-09-2017 06:02 AM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(09-08-2017 10:42 PM)ODUDrunkard13 Wrote:  Would be shocked if they select anywhere other than DC.

It would have to be Loudon Co. or someplace if they want a bunch of land. And it won't come cheap.

Yeah, DC seems like an awful option.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

https://hbr.org/2017/09/what-amazons-hq2...-of-cities

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

(09-08-2017 07:46 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Traffic in Hampton Roads is nothing. You guys should get out more.

I wonder if the fiber optic in Virginia Beach helps?

(09-08-2017 07:56 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  Yeah our traffic is mediocre relatively to other metro areas.

But compared to 20 years ago or 40 it's crazy here.

And I was thinking the trans Atlantic fiber might play into decision but without a robust transit system or airport we're not a option.

Posted from mobile device. Hopefully it's coherent.

Just because traffic is worse in other areas, does not mean that it isn't ****** here.

The HRBT is one of the worse stretches of roads in the nation.

Traveling on 64 during the summer to Richmond / DC can be brutal. More than once has it taken me 6+ hours to get to DC.

I think my worst experience in Hampton Roads was during the Navy FPCON Delta Drill. Traveling from ODU to Dam Neck navy base took me 7 hours one time. I didn't even get all the way to base. I got a call that I shouldn't come in at noon, as I was sitting at the intersection of General Booth and Dam Neck.

I've experienced traffic in other areas. DC, NYC, LA, Houston, San Diego... sure they are worse.

I think Cleveland or Detroit might be a better fit regarding traffic. Cities built their infrastructure to handle a larger population then they have now. Amazon in the area would bring life back into those communities.

(09-09-2017 09:18 AM)AimHigh Wrote:  

(09-08-2017 11:58 PM)xxxoduxxx Wrote:  

(09-08-2017 04:26 PM)AimHigh Wrote:  I have a little blood in what the city does with the site. I own 174 acres near the site. Between the City, Navy, Army Corp, and VA Department of Game it is impossible to do anything with my land. I am tore between selling out to one of them groups or fighting what seems to be the impossible. Army Corp hit me with a warning that I am no longer allowed to clear my drainage ditches on my farm so when it rains it damages my crops to the point its barely profitable to farm it. State wildlife officers and environmentalist tore up a good part of my farm trying to find fire ants and protected rattlesnakes after planting now I'm getting hell from peta about my damage stamps

Have you ever thought about moving towards indoor hydroponics instead?

My hopes are if FTW Farm is developed in to a mega site with a village type housing I can capitalize on them folks! I'm in my mid 30s and farming was my backup/ retirement plan.

Dude, great idea. If that area developed you would be prime for all the source to tables. In fact... if you ever want to go that route PM me. =]

CityLab breaks down the cities it views as the top contenders to land HQ2 (VB is not one of them);
https://www.citylab.com/life/2017/09/bes...le/539532/