Why Portland is pursuing Amazon: Guest opinion

Amazon announced in early September that it has opened the search for a second headquarters, promising to spend more than $5 billion on the opening.(Richard Drew/AP)

BY WALLY VAN VALKENBURG and JANET LaBAR

Tomorrow, Greater Portland Inc will submit a proposal to be the location for Amazon's widely publicized second headquarters.  In a region that sometimes questions the value of "big corporations," our proposal illustrates why Portland can and should compete for the kinds of jobs Amazon's second headquarters would bring.

Amazon is among the world's most innovative companies, employing 380,000 worldwide. Its average annual salaries in Seattle exceed $100,000, and it's projected to employ a sizable workforce in the Portland region.

Amazon expects to invest $5 billion in new capital for the second headquarters and generate 50,000 new jobs.

When Amazon requested proposals for the new location, our region divided along predictable lines. Some said we were too small to compete for such a large opportunity, that we lack the necessary talent to be a serious candidate, and that Portland can't match the corporate incentives others would offer.

On the other side were community leaders who know we're the 24th-largest metro area nationwide with one of the highest percentages of college graduates, effectively meeting one of Amazon's key criteria, the "potential to attract and retain strong technical talent."

As leaders of Greater Portland, the public/private economic development partnership for the region, we fall into the second camp. Over the last month, we have worked to develop a proposal that shows why Portland is an ideal fit for Amazon's second headquarters.

  • We're ranked as the 5
  • We're a creative human capital powerhouse. Creative occupations in the region grew more than 22 percent between 2003 and 2013, compared to 4.7 percent nationally.
  • We're connected locally and with the world. Our first-rate transit system is the envy of other metro areas, and direct flights to Asia and Europe enable our companies to access global markets.
  • Portland's higher education system competes well with what other regions offer. Our universities and colleges are working collaboratively to provide the talent companies like Amazon require.

While our stone's-throw location from Seattle might be a disadvantage, proximity could fall in our favor. Daily direct flights to and from Seattle and daily round trips on Amtrak make same-day travel between the two headquarters easy.

It's true the Portland region will not offer the kinds of short-term economic incentives other regions may propose. While we value the high-quality jobs and community presence that Amazon would bring, we don't believe the "pay to play" approach is either necessary or appropriate for our region. We think Amazon will care more about talent, connectivity and future growth potential than short-term financial incentives.

To the critics of "big corporations": Without the jobs that companies like Amazon create, we don't have the tax revenue to properly fund our schools, social services, police and firefighters. We also can't fund the nonprofits working in our communities, nor can we offer the promise of opportunity to future generations who want to succeed in the region. As former Portland Mayor Sam Adams (a progressive by any measure) used to say, we can't have a vibrant economy just by selling coffee and beer to each other.

The Portland area needs employers like Amazon to be the world-class region it deserves to be.  Whether we win or lose this particular competition, our willingness to compete is a positive sign for our region and the future of those who hope to live and prosper here.

Wally Van Valkenburg and Janet LaBar are board chair and chief executive, respectively, of Greater Portland Inc, a public/private organization helping to attract and maintain high-quality jobs in the region.

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