Economic development officials are putting the final touches on Minnesota's pitch to secure a new Amazon.com headquarters, just days before the Seattle-based online retailer's deadline for proposals.
Gov. Mark Dayton met Monday afternoon with Minnesota Employment and Economic Development Director Shawntera Hardy and Greater MSP CEO Michael Langley to review the state's proposal in advance of Amazon's Thursday deadline.
The state declined to release the proposal or any of its details, and Greater MSP did not offer any further details Monday.
Hardy said in a statement that the plan provides several options for locations, should Amazon want to expand in Minnesota.
"The proposal is near its final form and includes a number of qualified sites throughout the region," she said.
Hardy said she, Dayton and Langley reviewed the entire proposal "to ensure that Minnesota's unique story is one that will encourage Amazon to seriously consider this region for the project."
Minnesota's application will go up against dozens of others from communities across the country. Many are eagerly offering up tax breaks and other incentives in the hopes of securing a $5 billion second Amazon headquarters facility that the company says will eventually have 50,000 employees. Amazon has said it's looking to locate in a region with at least 1 million people with a shovel-ready site where it could build.
"The criteria Amazon set out in its [request] are all areas where Minnesota excels," Hardy said. "We are confident that what we send to Amazon will be competitive and will bring Minnesota closer to landing this project."
Dayton has said that Minnesota's bid should highlight the strength of the local workforce, but that the state should take a "restrained" approach to offering incentives.
That's in part because of concerns about how Amazon could affect major local employers like Target and Best Buy, who are among the company's competitors.
The bidding war over Amazon's new site has also prompted concern from some small businesses in the area. One business group, the Main Street Alliance of Minnesota, is planning a Tuesday morning news conference at Moon Palace Books in south Minneapolis to announce its own request for proposals from the state.
The group says it is seeking "investments in programs that will leave more money in the pockets of everyday Minnesotans, allowing them to better support businesses in their communities."
Erin Golden • 612-673-4790
