Amazon announced its list of top 20 finalists for their new headquarters Thursday, and the Los Angeles area – including the Santa Clarita Valley – was named among them.
As the only West Coast location on the list, LA County came in as a strong contender for Amazon’s new HQ2, which is expected to be housed in up to 8 million square feet of commercial buildings that are sustainable, fiber-connected, close enough to walk between and situated on 100 developable acres.
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation joined forces with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation to present a strong proposal to Amazon which included the SCV and several other potential sites in LA County.
The e-commerce giant announced in September that it was inviting proposals from the country’s major metropolitan areas on potential sites where the corporation could create a second headquarter campus, ideally similar to the existing HQ in Seattle.
This new campus will employ more than 50,000 workers in high-paying jobs and will help Amazon handle the rapid growth it is expecting over the next decade.
Related: Los Angeles on Short List of Amazon’s HQ2
Holly Schroeder, president and CEO of the SCVEDC, is aware that California is perceived as a place where it is hard to do business, and part of the work of the SCVEDC is to tell the rest of the story.
“Many analysts discounted California’s shot at this proposal. We understand the tremendous advantages of the LA region, and are glad to see them recognized by Amazon,” Schroeder said. “The site at Newhall Ranch in the Santa Clarita Valley offers the growth opportunities that Amazon needs. Given Amazon’s history of innovation, we believe that Net Zero Newhall, a zero greenhouse gas emission development, is a great match for this forward-thinking company.”
Related: Why the SCV is Good for Amazon
Whatever happens, the SCVEDC is happy to have the opportunity to draw national attention to the region. Many businesses have chosen to locate their companies in the SCV because it is a great place to live, work and play. The Santa Clarita Valley is a good location for business, but beyond that, it offers its residents an unmatched quality of life.
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation is a unique private/public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. The SCVEDC utilizes an integrated approach to attracting, retaining and expanding a diversity of businesses in the Santa Clarita Valley, especially those in key industry clusters, by offering competitive business services and other resources.
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7 Comments
Sorry but how can 50,000 workers commuting and the traffic from UPS or FED EX Trucks be “a zero greenhouse gas emission development”? I love the idea of the jobs for our community but most would need to come from surrounding areas into our community bringing the traffic and smog.
Don’t hold your breath. Newhall Ranch is 2 hours from anywhere. One way out via the Golden State parking lot, aka 5 Freeway. Amazon knows all about the 5 freeway. It is blocked all day long in Seattle too.
This is amazing but I vote against it. The greed of getting more money is making Santa Clarita to crowded, unfriendly and crime is sky rocketing. I have been here since 1983 and this was an amazing safe place. As much as I love this valley it’s getting harder and harder to not want to relocate. I hope that we get some limits on new construction and start thinking more about quality instead of quantity.
With the negative business climate that the state of California has imposed there is no way they will choose anyplace in CA to locate their business. Very sad.
Wouldn’t you just know that such a positive announcement would bring all the NIMBYs out of the woodwork! Just last week, everyone was complaining about the traffic this development would create as people commuted to jobs elsewhere. Now here’s a proposal to create tons of high-paying jobs that people could get to without a long commute on the freeways. Guess you folks wouldn’t be satisfied if they hung you with a NEW rope!
Is not gonna happen, Amazon is looking to have their HQ2 on the east coast, I don’t know the reasons why they still left LA on the list!
I am okay with Disney locating their new facility here. I am not against all development, just huge ones that bring all the delivery trucks in and out of the city. Does anyone even know how many trucks that would be? I have seen the speed and volume of orders in AMAZON warehouse and that would be a steady stream of trucks day and night.
I would think the east coast would be good too but maybe the volume of orders for California is a reason we are still in the running?