Chasing HQ2 jobs, Emanuel and Pritzker write to Amazon: ‘You should take another look at Chicago’

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent a joint letter to Amazon on Thursday, asking them to reconsider Chicago after the online behemoth announced it wouldn’t locate a 25,000-job headquarters in New York City.

The two reached out despite Amazon’s statement that it will not search for a new location. Instead, it plans to grow other tech hubs and offices, one of which is in Chicago.

Emanuel told the Tribune that the city and state are ready to partner with Amazon. “We take care of our business. We make a pledge, we keep our pledges,” he said. “If you’re looking for a partner in the public sector, Chicago can stand and deliver.”

The one-page letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Tribune, touted Chicago’s “robust, diverse and talented workforce,” globally connected business community, transportation system and universities. It mentioned tech hub 1871, and updates to O’Hare International Airport and Chicago’s public transit system.

It also noted the “substantial progress” that has been made toward the launch of Related Midwest’s 62-acre planned development in the South Loop along the river, called The 78. The Tribune reported last year that members of Amazon’s HQ2 site selection team made a return visit to the site, and the letter from Emanuel and Pritzker noted that tax increment financing for the site is expected to be approved this spring.

“You should take another look at Chicago,” the letter said. “We will be happy to bring you back.”

Amazon said Thursday it will continue to build offices in Arlington, Va., and Nashville, Tenn. It also plans to continue growing its 17 tech hubs, one of which is in Chicago. Since announcing plans to locate in New York City, the company has received backlash from some New York politicians, who were unhappy with the tax incentives Amazon was promised and the company’s stance on unions.

The company already employs more than 12,000 people in Illinois. They work at fulfillment centers, campus pick-up locations, the research and development tech hub, and other sites. Of those employees, about 300 work in the Chicago tech hub.

The company doesn’t know yet where the growth that was supposed to happen in New York City will move to, Amazon spokeswoman Jodi Smith said in an email Thursday.

“It will be organic,” she wrote.

Chicago and Illinois officials also reached out to Amazon late last week when news first surfaced that the company might not build its 25,000-job New York campus after all.

The e-commerce giant announced in November that it would split its second headquarters between New York’s Long Island City neighborhood and Northern Virginia. The announcement ended a yearlong, high-stakes competition to win thousands of high-paying tech jobs, in which Chicago was among 20 finalists.

A statement posted on Amazon’s blog reads:

“After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens. For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term. While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.

“We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion — we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture — and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents. There are currently over 5,000 Amazon employees in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and we plan to continue growing these teams.

“We are deeply grateful to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and their staffs, who so enthusiastically and graciously invited us to build in New York City and supported us during the process. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have worked tirelessly on behalf of New Yorkers to encourage local investment and job creation, and we can’t speak positively enough about all their efforts. The steadfast commitment and dedication that these leaders have demonstrated to the communities they represent inspired us from the very beginning and is one of the big reasons our decision was so difficult.

“We do not intend to re-open the HQ2 search at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada.

“Thank you again to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and the many other community leaders and residents who welcomed our plans and supported us along the way. We hope to have future chances to collaborate as we continue to build our presence in New York over time.”

amarotti@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @AllyMarotti