Amazon has faced much opposition since it announced its plans last November to split its second headquarters between Arlington, Va.—an area referred to as National Landing—and Long Island City in Queens, N.Y.—particularly from the New York City Council. Today, the tech giant revealed that it will no longer proceed with its proposed New York location, which would have created approximately 25,000 jobs, due to this pressure.
“While polls show that 70 percent 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,” Amazon wrote in a statement published in The New York Times.
It is unclear how this move will impact ongoing investment plans in Queens such as the $180 million commitment for Long Island City transportation and infrastructure improvements announced by mayor Bill De Blasio last October.
Amazon reports that it will not re-open the search for the secondary headquarters, but will proceed with plans for the Northern Virginia offices and Nashville distribution center announced last year.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.
