Portland makes subdued pitch for new Amazon headquarters

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Portland officials offered no special tax breaks or grants in its public-private proposal to Amazon in the heated competition to secure the company’s second headquarters.
 
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that the newspaper obtained the city’s proposal through a public records request.
 
The online retailer kicked off its hunt for a second home base in September, promising 50,000 new jobs and construction spending of more than $5 billion. Amazon received 238 proposals from cities and regions across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
 
Portland’s proposal focused on the proximity to Seattle, where Amazon is based, which is a three hour drive away.
 
The city pinpointed several downtown blocks to meet Amazon’s required 8 million square feet of needed space. However, city also said it would work on infrastructure and housing only if Amazon also promised to contribute to those efforts.
 
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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com