Amazon Launches Search for a Second Headquarters City in North America... (Dallas: shop, airports)

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

What cultural advantages does Austin have over Dallas?

Youth and thousands of UT graduates every spring who mostly want to stay in Austin. That's about it. Austin is kind of a cultural wasteland once you leave the UT campus (unless mediocre live music is your thing).

[mSooner]

Youth and thousands of UT graduates every spring who mostly want to stay in Austin. That's about it. Austin is kind of a cultural wasteland once you leave the UT campus (unless mediocre live music is your thing).

I disagree, and I'm an OU grad! Austin has the benefit of the Hill Country right next door. There is a ton to do, eat, and see there that you just don't get anywhere else.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by mSooner

I disagree, and I'm an OU grad! Austin has the benefit of the Hill Country right next door. There is a ton to do, eat, and see there that you just don't get anywhere else.

I'm a UT grad and former Austin resident. Sorry, but Dallas has it beat for culture (and dining for that matter). Austin beats Dallas hands-down for natural beauty but that's about the only area where Austin wins (IMHO).

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by mSooner

I disagree, and I'm an OU grad! Austin has the benefit of the Hill Country right next door. There is a ton to do, eat, and see there that you just don't get anywhere else.

You need to get out more. The hill country has water and I am wilt issues that harm it's future. it's a nice getaway from that Austin town but ranks out of a top 10 in any list of the SW jewels I'd produce. Nice town that Austin is though.

Austin is at best a long shot and in my book that is a win. The

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

I'm a UT grad and former Austin resident. Sorry, but Dallas has it beat for culture (and dining for that matter). Austin beats Dallas hands-down for natural beauty but that's about the only area where Austin wins (IMHO).

Same here, and agreed. Never understood the Austin allure, outside of natural beauty. It is beautiful though.

[jgn2013]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

I don't disagree with what you're saying, but with the caveat that Austin falls when it comes to public transit. It's what really separates it from Seattle/Portland/SF. There are certain areas where Dallas is in fact more progressive than Austin and I think Hornraider did a great job of describing Dallas's "liberalism." It's not quite as cookie cutter in the West Coast sense, which makes it a bit difficult to describe. So yes, Austin does have a more "liberal" vibe than Dallas if we're using SF as a measuring stick for liberalism. But that doesn't mean Austin is remotely on par with them when it comes to public transit.

I'll say it....Austin is liberal in the young, white, middle/upper-middle class hippie sense. Dallas combines that kind of liberalism with black/Latino activism that is more socially conservative in some ways but just as liberal economically.

Dallas liberalism probably has more roots in churches and synagogues while Austin liberalism is driven more by college students from (mostly) well to do families that want to break away from the suburban existence they grew up in.

[Jeohnny]

Originally Posted by jgn2013

I'll say it....Austin is liberal in the young, white, middle/upper-middle class hippie sense. Dallas combines that kind of liberalism with black/Latino activism that is more socially conservative in some ways but just as liberal economically.

Dallas liberalism probably has more roots in churches and synagogues while Austin liberalism is driven more by college students from (mostly) well to do families that want to break away from the suburban existence they grew up in.

As much as I would love to see dallas get Amazon, I think atlanta has a better shot.

[turf3]

Personally, I would be surprised if all the subtle differences of which area can be described as "more liberal" by different measures will play into the decision.

I would expect the main points to be:

- Local incentives given

- Cost of building and relocating (includes many factors)

- Availability of large, hungry IT workforce - preferably people with limited alternate options, as the scuttlebutt is that Amazon is a use-em-up-burn-em-out-and-throw-another-interchangeable-coder-on-the-fire sweatshop. (So, that sounds like someplace where colleges and universities are cranking out fresh grads but the job market stinks.) Of course they may just import a bunch of H1Bs.

I doubt very much whether real decisions will be made at "HQ2"; my guess is that it will be the place where they send the grunt work, while retaining mahogany row and the real decisions at Seattle.

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by turf3

Personally, I would be surprised if all the subtle differences of which area can be described as "more liberal" by different measures will play into the decision.

I would expect the main points to be:

- Local incentives given

- Cost of building and relocating (includes many factors)

- Availability of large, hungry IT workforce - preferably people with limited alternate options, as the scuttlebutt is that Amazon is a use-em-up-burn-em-out-and-throw-another-interchangeable-coder-on-the-fire sweatshop. (So, that sounds like someplace where colleges and universities are cranking out fresh grads but the job market stinks.) Of course they may just import a bunch of H1Bs.

I doubt very much whether real decisions will be made at "HQ2"; my guess is that it will be the place where they send the grunt work, while retaining mahogany row and the real decisions at Seattle.

Sounds about right

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Jeohnny

As much as I would love to see dallas get Amazon, I think atlanta has a better shot.

Definitely, of the large SunBelt metros the ATL is clearly the top candidate for Bezos new Headquarters:
very attractive topography and recreationally speaking they actually have fresh-water trout fishing in the ATL and of course a very tolerant attitude towards minorities, and the biggest & best airport in the world which is also an airport of the first magnitude that's a great international gateway. It's also located in the Easter Time Zone.