Gov. Larry Hogan Will Lobby Amazon, Jeff Bezos, For HQ Bid
BALTIMORE (WJZ/AP)-- Governor Larry Hogan has launched the state's campaign to make Maryland the home to the new Amazon headquarters.
Amazon's founder says the company's new HQ2 is expected to equal that of the Seattle base, and bring 50,000 jobs with it.
Hogan says he will personally lobby Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to locate the retailer's new headquarters in the state.
Amazon is already swimming in the deep end of the Maryland job pool. The company held a job day last month at its Broening Highway distribution center.
Amazon already employs 3,500 people in Maryland.
Hogan said Friday that he met with Goldman Sachs Chairman Lloyd Blankfein to discuss investment opportunities, and representatives from Port Covington in Baltimore, a site that Hogan said "meets the criteria" of what Amazon is looking for.
"It appears to meet all the criteria that they're looking for, but there are certainly other people in the state that I would imagine are going to be, other cities that will be submitting, and other people, and the state will assist everybody with any application that they have," Hogan said. "But I do happen to believe this is probably the best opportunity and the one that meets all of their needs."
Goldman Sachs is already planning to invest $233 million in private equity funding to redevelop Port Covington, a real estate project by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank.
The State is also prepared to make a big investment.
"This is about attracting a new corporate headquarters with 50,00 new jobs for Maryland so it's unlike anything we ever seen before and it would certainly be worth the investment of some dollars to bring those jobs here. As you know our number one priority is creating more jobs," Hogan said.
It's a huge project and could be a 50-state competition.
The incentive package for the Amazon Broening Highway center was $40 million.
Amazon will announce the winner next year.
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