Arlington no longer in the running for Amazon HQ2

ARLINGTON, Texas - Amazon’s second headquarters will not be built in Arlington.

Although the company selected Arlington as one of a few select finalists and asked leaders to submit an in-person pitch, the city said it found out about two weeks ago that it was no longer in the running.

"We were enthused that our vision for HQ2 caught the attention of Amazon," City Manager Trey Yelverton said in a news release. "The company created a thoughtful selection process. You could clearly see the value Amazon places on community partnerships as well as on the welfare of its employees, the ability to attract and retain qualified workers, and the impact HQ2 would have on the culture of the community."

Arlington’s pitch to Amazon had included plans for repurposing Globe Life Park after the Texas Rangers move out in 2020.

The city was also prepared to offer Amazon $921 million in incentives such as waived fees, a 10-year tax abatement, the creation of a municipal management district and grants for hiring Arlington residents and redeveloping the site.

“Our 10-year economic model indicated this project could bring 96,000-plus permanent jobs, almost $50 billion in salaries and wages and almost $4 billion in taxable sales,” the city said.

Arlington is now looking for other options for the future of Globe Life Park.

The city also said it would continue to support other cities’ efforts to bring Amazon’s second headquarters to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a move that could bring thousands of new jobs to the area.