Amazon cancels plans for New York City HQ, deals blow to Gov. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio had lobbied hard for Amazon headquarters; Laura Ingle reports.
It may be more proof that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez isn’t the darling of all Democrats in New York.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., has reportedly penned a full-page letter to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as he clings to hope that he can win back the tech giant and lure it to New York City, where it recently scrapped plans to build a second headquarters campus, a report said Thursday.
AMAZON PULLS OUT OF PLAN TO BUILD NYC HEADQUARTERS AFTER BACKLASH
The open letter, signed in support by more than 70 unions and politicians, including former Mayor David Dinkins, urged Bezos and Amazon executives to reconsider its decision to pull out of the project, the New York Times reported. The letter, paid for by the Partnership for New York City, was set to appear in Friday’s edition of the Times.
“We know the public debate that followed the announcement of the Long Island City project was rough and not very welcoming,” the letter reads. “But when we commit to a project as important as this, we figure out how to get it done in a way that works for everyone.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., has reached out to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in a plea to win back the tech company, a report said Thursday. (Associated Press)
Amazon pulled out of the deal early last month after facing harsh, vocal opposition from several of the state’s lawmakers, most notably from freshman congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. Criticism included tax breaks and subsidies worth up to $3 billion for the company and the potential for rising real estate costs in the area.
AMAZON BLASTS OCASIO-CORTEZ, SAYS 'WE DON'T WANT TO WORK IN THIS ENVIRONMENT IN THE LONG TERM'
The letter went on to state that Cuomo “will take personal responsibility for the project’s state approval,” and Mayor Bill de Blasio “will work together with the governor to manage the community development process.”
Cuomo and de Blasio were largely responsible for helping bring Amazon to New York in a deal that would have seen 25,000 jobs, paying approximately $150,000 per year enter Long Island City. To some, it appeared to be a remarkable collaboration by two Democrats who rarely seem to get along.
According to a December Quinnipiac University poll, 57 percent of New York City residents support Amazon’s arrival in the region, compared to just 26 percent who oppose the deal, Fox Business previously reported.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Cuomo has also reached out to Bezos directly by phone since the deal fell through, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“I’ve had many conversations with Amazon. I hope that they reconsider,” Cuomo said Thursday at an unrelated event on Long Island, the paper reported.
But the governor added that Amazon has yet to show any signs it has changed its mind, according to the paper.
Fox News' Chris Ciaccia contributed to this report.
More from Politics
