Ryan Pitches Northeastern Ohio to Amazon

WASHINGTON – In the wake of Amazon Inc. canceling its plans to locate its second headquarters at a New York site, on Friday morning U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan pitched northeastern Ohio as a possible location.

Amazon announced Thursday it was scrapping its plans for a New York City campus following opposition from some residents and politicians, but would not reopen its process for finding an additional site. “We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada,” the e-commerce giant said in a release.

Regardless, Ryan, D-13 Ohio, called northeastern Ohio a “perfect fit for Amazon” in a news release announcing the letter he sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

“In a time of great income inequality and many American communities being left behind by globalization and automation, this is an opportunity for Amazon to be a corporate leader in helping set the example for a more conscious free enterprise system,” the congressman wrote. “This investment would plug in a region of America that boomed during the Industrial Age but has lagged economically since the decline of steel and auto. Our people don’t want a handout, they want a hand up.”

He also touted the “business-friendly environment” of the region, which has “an extensive web of renowned colleges and universities that would sprint to provide the talent that would be critical to the success of your project.” He promoted support from state and local governments and economic development organizations, as well as the well-known transportation and population access in the area, and invited Bezos to meet with him.

In 2017, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber initially backed the Cafaro Co.’s Enterprise Park at Eastwood as a potential Amazon site. The chamber later reversed course and supported a Cleveland site backed by TeamNEO and JobsOhio.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.