Where will Amazon make its new headquarters? It might be in Washington D.C. Last week, ARLnow.com noticed an unusual spike in traffic regarding one of its stories from last December. The story was in regards to Arlington County winning an environmental award from the Green Building Council. After doing some research into the nature of the traffic, ARLnow discovered that the majority of it came from an internal Amazon search page, which the site said was devoted to the e-commerce giant’s search for a new headquarters.
While this alone doesn’t prove that Amazon is planning on making D.C. its new headquarters, Business Insider has reported several pieces of evidence that make Arlington County a particular intriguing spot for Amazon. For starters, there is the simple fact that Amazon has greatly expanded its lobbying efforts over the past few years, and proximity to D.C. could make such things easier.
In addition to increasing the amount of money it spends on lobbying efforts, Amazon has hired former President Obama’s press secretary, Jay Carney, to handle the company’s DC Policy Office. Aside from direct lobbying, moving the company’s second headquarters to D.C. could be a way for the company to expand its influence within the capitol.
Among the 20 locations still in the running for HQ2, Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, both of which border D.C., are the only counties on the list. D.C. itself is the only metro area with three different locations on the short list, so it definitely has an advantage in that regard.
Even if Amazon decides to build its second HQ in D.C., it remains to be seen which of the three locations will be the winner. Given that all three are close to or in D.C., they will have to offer other qualities for Amazon to consider, which may explain the company’s interest in the ARLnow story regarding the county’s environmental award.
Another interesting factor regarding D.C. is that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns one of the area’s largest mansions. In 2014, he purchased a pair of mansions in the Kalorama section of D.C., so it’s clear he plans on spending time in the area.
For now, the issue of Amazon’s next HQ remains up in the air, and don’t be surprised if it does go to D.C or its neighboring counties.
