After protests and political opposition, Amazon decided to not open a second headquarters in New York City Feb. 14. The company said it does not have plans to begin a search for another headquarters location and will instead continue with plans to open headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, and Nashville, Tennessee, according to Supply Chain Dive.
In a press release, Amazon stated 70% of New Yorkers supported the headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, despite politicians and local activists fearing the headquarters would bog down public transportation and have a negative effect on infrastructure. A new headquarters in New York would have meant 25,000 new positions to fill, and the possibility of the city getting even more crowded than it already is.
Unlike New York, pushback has not yet been seen out of Northern Virginia. The General Assembly passed an incentives package for Amazon with little to no commotion. It is still unclear if the unrest from New York will make its way to Arlington County.
—Christie Citranglo, editorial associate