Mayor Lenny Curry wants to bring Seattle-based Amazon.com’s second headquarters to Jacksonville.
Amazon estimates its new $5 billion corporate headquarters would create at least 50,000 jobs with most demanding six-figure salaries. Cities vying for the project have until Oct. 19 to submit bids.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Curry said his administration is “keenly focused on economic growth and would like to see Amazon’s presence grow.”
“I strongly believe Jacksonville has all the attributes that make for a great place to do business – including a strong labor force, a low cost of doing business, and a great quality of life.”
He said he and his team “are committed to doing everything we can to bring jobs and economic opportunities to Jacksonville; therefore, we are in the process of putting together a proposal to submit for this opportunity.”
Curry did not elaborate about the proposal or the incentives package it would include.
The mayor said the company’s growing presence has brought a “record number of jobs to our city with the establishment of state-of-the-art centers and stations.”
Amazon has four facilities in North and West Jacksonville and pledged to hire 2,700 employees among two fulfillment centers.
It hasn’t said how many employees it will hire for a Westside Industrial Park sortation center, although documents indicate that could be 200. Amazon has not said how many people it is hiring for a North Jacksonville delivery station.
The city and state pledged $26.7 million in taxpayer incentives in exchange for Amazon hiring 825 positions paying an average $50,000 a year. The bulk of its employees are distribution center workers making $12 to $16 an hour.
The company announced in September it was seeking bids for a second U.S. headquarters.
