It was recently announced that Amazon is looking to establish their second headquarters, opening the floodgate of bids from every major American city proclaiming themselves the top contender. One modest Rockland County town is among those sending the company a pitch, and it might not be who you’d expect.
The digital commerce powerhouse put out a detailed list of criteria for the city it chooses as it’s second home, including a population of at least one million, access to airports, good mass transit, encouraging job growth, a well-educated labor force, nearby universities, and available land for the new corporate campus. In addition, Amazon is offering a $5 billion investment and 50,000 new jobs over the next two decades to whoever wins the bid wars.
Ramapo’s Supervisor Yitzchok Ullman wrote a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos expressing his interest in having Amazon come to the Rockland County town, suggesting the company inhabit the 220-acre site formerly occupied by Novartis Pharmaceuticals and the Tilcon Quarry.
“I am convinced that Ramapo is the ideal location for Amazon,” Ullman wrote. “If you are looking for a location near a metropolitan area with more than one million people, a stable and business-friendly environment, a community that can attract and retain strong technical talent, and a plethora of transportation and infrastructure options, this is the ideal location.”
Ullman boasted Ramapo’s diverse and educated workforce, along with high-ranking schools as well as open space.
“Here in Ramapo, we have experience hosting global corporations and are confident we can work with you and leaders here at the state and local level to prepare a proposal that will leave you no option but to build Amazon HQ2 right here in Ramapo,” Ullman said. “We look forward to working with you and your team so your company and our community can build a future together.”
With the vast number of larger metropolitan areas competing for Amazon’s attention, it’s highly unlikely Ullman’s pitch will be given much attention, but as with anything worth boasting, it’s worth a shot.