Amazon is thinking twice about its plan to locate a second headquarters in New York as local opposition to the plan grows, according to a new report from the Washington Post.
The plan, which would bring 25,000 jobs to the New York City, was initially hailed as an economic triumph, but as politicians have learned of the subsidies given to the world’s largest retailer, many have become less enamored of the proposal.
Final approval from the state on those subsidies, if it comes, is not expected until 2020.
The Post cites two anonymous sources who say Amazon has had internal discussions on whether to keep HQ2 in New York or whether to look for another location. Amazon has not yet leased or purchased any office space in the area, meaning it wouldn’t suffer any financial repercussions for changing its mind.
However, no final decisions have been made at this point, says the paper. And the leaked threat could be a tactic to put pressure on New York officials.
While the Amazon project has some very prominent objectors, including freshman U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, other states have been very welcoming to an expanded Amazon presence, including Tennessee and Virginia (which also was selected as the location for the headquarters).
It’s unclear if either of those states is being considered as a fallback location. Amazon looked closely at several major cities in its long hunt for a HQ2 location.
