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Five things you need to know about Birmingham and Amazon
ByJHDaniel
Our outgoing mayor is for it, and our incoming mayor is ready for the possibilities. Who else is involved with Birmingham’s bid to attract Amazon’s new headquarters to the Magic City?
Amazon On The Table
Details on Birmingham’s bid to Amazon continue to emerge.
On September 25 the City of Birmingham announced its intentions to represent the metro area (all of Jefferson County) by submitting to Amazon’s RFP (request for proposals).
What’s The Word On The Street?
At an October 9 press conference Mayor-Elect Randall Woodfin announced his transition team (more on that later, but here’s a link ). He also took questions regarding his thoughts on current city issues.
When it came time to talk about Amazon, Woodfin said that he looked forward to being briefed on upcoming projects. He mentioned the Amazon bid, as well as other city projects in the works.
“… Economic development is extremely important,” Woodfin said. ” … If they are in the best interests of our city, we will wholeheartedly support these projects.”
It’s Big Talk
It’s certainly a hot topic around town. WBRC reports that the mayors of Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Midfield and Fairfield met “to display a united effort in the economic development trophy of the decade …”
However, one expert questions the move. A UAB marketing professional is not sure we are the right fit.
Who’s Paying For The Bid?
The City of Birmingham and Jefferson County set the campaign for Amazon in motion. This recent post in Adweek mentions that the state and Alabama Power are funding the effort, as well.
Press Conference Notes
The September 25 press conference outlined a joint effort and its plans. Mayor Bell mentioned a “financial cost” to submit the bid. He added that the public-private partnership is currently working out the financials.
What Is #BringAtoB?
Check out my last post for Bham Now about BringAtoB. The folks over at Big Communications put together the campaign. Those huge boxes and buttons all over town are a hit. They also created a website with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles. Oh, and the #bringatob hashtag, too.
What are your thoughts? Â Does Birmingham have a chance? Â What about Huntsville?
