IN Focus: Hogsett, Holcomb discuss Indy’s top 20 bid for Amazon

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indianapolis is still in the running to host Amazon’s second headquarters after the company narrowed their list to 20. The largest concentration of finalists are in the northeastern part of the country.

Amazon plans to invest $5 billion in the new headquarters site, and it could create as many as 50,000 jobs.

Amazon says they 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 on behalf of our customers.

Amazon will now work with each of the 20 cities to dive deeper into their proposals and evaluate a future partnership. At this time, there is no word on an exact date for when a final decision will be made, but the tech giant says they plan to announce it this year.

Mayor Hogsett released the following statement in regards to Amazon’s announcement:

“Today’s short list from Amazon makes clear that no matter what the final decision may be, Indianapolis is already a big winner. Every day we are gaining more recognition as a growing tech hub, and I am proud that Central Indiana’s unique combination of connectivity, quality of life, and affordable living has once again put us on the global stage. I want to thank Mayor Scott Fadness and our regional partners for their tireless work, and I look forward to continuing our unprecedented collaboration to promote the limitless future of the Crossroads of America.”

Governor Holcomb released this statement:

“We are thrilled to see Indianapolis on the list of finalists for Amazon’s second headquarters. It speaks to Indiana’s growing reputation on the world stage as a great state to locate and grow a business. We look forward to working with the central Indiana region and Amazon as they continue to narrow their list of potential sites for HQ2.”

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness also played a big role in helping with the bid. He released the following statement this morning:

“Today’s announcement reaffirms that that opportunities for Indianapolis Metro are endless when we work together as a region. It’s an exciting day worth celebrating and it’s my hope that we continue to have these types of opportunities to work regionally, put our best foot forward, and drive innovation and growth in our economy.”

Below is a list of all 20 finalists: