Connecticut Makes Official Amazon HQ Pitch

Connecticut made its official pitch to Amazon Oct. 19, proposing the Hartford or Stamford regions as sites for the online giant’s second North American headquarters.
Governor Dannel Malloy announced the proposal at a state Capitol press conference, highlighting Connecticut’s quality of life, legacy of innovation, educational institutions, and its skilled, educated workforce.
“Connecticut is filled with spirit and ingenuity, and is the perfect location for a global company like Amazon to position its next headquarters,” Malloy said.
“Connecticut meets the needs of a forward-moving, 21st century company like Amazon to succeed and thrive.”
Seattle-based Amazon announced its search for a second North American headquarters last month, saying it expected to invest over $5 billion in construction with as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs.
“We are looking for a location with strong local and regional talent—particularly in software development and related fields—as well as a stable and business-friendly environment to continue hiring and innovating,” the company said.

Current Connecticut Footprint

Amazon’s current Connecticut footprint includes a fulfillment center in Windsor and a sorting center in Wallingford, which employ almost 2,000 workers.
The company is also building an 855,000 square-foot fulfillment center in North Haven, creating another 1,800 jobs.
Connecticut economic development officials pared down submissions from 17 communities, choosing Hartford-East Hartford and Stamford for the state’s official bid.
Danbury and an alliance between Bridgeport and New Haven will submit their own bids to Amazon.
The Hartford-East Hartford option features a complex of sites in both cities, while Stamford identified 14 connected sites extending to Long Island Sound from the downtown area.

‘Worth the Fight’

Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner Catherine Smith said landing Amazon’s second headquarters “is worth making a fight for.”
“This proposal is the culmination of a lot of hard work at both the state and local level,” she said.
“Throughout this process, people came out of the woodwork to provide creative ideas, sign letters of support, and roll up their sleeves to help out.”
Numerous organizations and businesses are supporting the bid, including CBIA and member companies Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey, CohnReznick, Day Pitney, Frontier Communications, Hartford Steam Boiler, Nestlé Waters, Stanley Black & Decker, Synchrony Financial, Travelers, The Hartford, TRUMPF, United Healthcare, and Voya Financial.