State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Is Missouri’s ‘Innovation Corridor’ Enough to Draw Amazon to the State?

Government Technology: From Tucson to Chicago, Mexico to Toronto, 238 cities and states are competing to be home to Amazon’s second headquarters (HQ2), an undertaking estimated to generate up to 50,000 jobs and cost at least $5 billion to build.

But when representatives from St. Louis and Kansas City each sought state support for their proposals, Missouri officials made an unusual, Solomonic decision. It backed both cities “equally, impartially and objectively’ — but submitted its own proposal too.

Population is key to Amazon: applying cities must have a base of at least 1 million citizens. But Missouri Chief Operating Officer Drew Erdmann said the technology and retail company encouraged the state to make its pitch.

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