Hamilton Weighing Amazon Bid
Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger
Friday, Sept 8, 2017, Hamilton, ON - Amazon has announced plans to establish a second company headquarters in North America. It is seeking proposals from local and state/provincial governments. The benefits in terms of jobs and economic development are self-evident and unprecedented.
The City of Hamilton has obtained Amazon’s Request for Proposals document and has established a team to analyze the criteria with a view to responding with a Hamilton proposal. We are already fielding offers of help from local external stakeholders. In addition, my office has been in contact with the provincial government to indicate our interest.
Although detailed analysis is required, a quick read indicates that Hamilton meets many of the criteria that Amazon has established, including location in a large metropolitan area, proximity to mass transit and rail, proximity to major arterial roads, and proximity to an international airport.
In addition, Hamilton has many additional advantages such as proximity to the U.S. border, world-class educational and medical sectors, and very attractive lifestyle attributes including restaurants, culture, and access to natural areas.
We are acting quickly as Amazon has established a tight timeline with a deadline of October 19 to receive submissions. I will keep Council and the public updated as work progresses.
Amazons RFP makes clear their preference for a location with a population of at least 1,000,000 residents.
ReplyDeleteDetails.
Still nothing stopping us from submitting a bid.
Except-according to City Manager Chris Murray-we have no one currently on staff who is capable (or qualified) to prepare such a bid proposal. No one.
"...I will need some specialist support in order to submit an appropriate proposal"
Apparently, $250,000.00 in specialist support, at least as a starting point.
"...I am hoping we can keep it to my limit" quips Chris.
Us too, Chris.
Shouldn't the fact that we have no one capable of submitting a bid preclude us from submitting a bid?
Apparently not.
While Rome burns, Fred fiddles.
God forbid we actually try to be ambitious, like we used to be. No risk, no reward. We know that some would prefer this be the 60s again - Stelco, Dofasco, International Harvester, Studebaker. We need jobs, this is a great opportunity. We have the space, the workforce and the location. But, since we lack expertise in the bid, let's not do it. That's sound logic.
Delete~ Gram James
we have children in our community who can't even go down the slide at school, cuz they vandalized it, and our community can not afford to replace it.
Delete$750.00 is an awful lot of money around here.
And the City wont pay?
Yet they have $250,000.00 to fritter away on consultants to prepare a bid document which will be competing with at least 50 other better qualified sites that meet all the prerequisites?
Schmucks
"Hamilton, great place to neglect a child"
orangemike
lets be ambitious,like we used to be...
Deletebut not like the 60's,...when we were ambitious. No sense in that.
we need jobs, but not those jobs, these jobs.
we have polluted land to remediate,we have untold numbers of anonymous scholars who know how to reboot a computer, and we are right next door to Grimsby.
Go Fred go...
Mike Stark
This is an ill advised effort by the city. There is enough in this city that has already been mis-handled. (Stadium, LRT , Pan Am etc). Work on winning the confidence of the people rather than running up another flag pole.
ReplyDeleteSorce
What a farce! What are they smoking down there at city hall?
ReplyDeleteAmazon is looking to create a campus - the size of a small town - that will be used by 50,000 workers. They are one of the world's largest global companies and they are going to come to Hamilton? We have witnessed small companies that want to grow bigger leave Hamilton. Get real. This is like putting in a bid to get the United Nations to set up headquarters in Hamilton. No wonder Chris Murray can't find any staffers to put together a bid. They are likely laughing their heads off out of ear shot because they know how dumb the idea is. Council should put an end to this fiasco and use the $125,000 to keep in Hamilton the companies that are moving out.
@Sage agreed 100%
DeleteSorce
and here we have Mayor Fred rolling out the "world class medical sector" baloney....again.
ReplyDelete"Our" Health Sciences are a cesspool.
According to the CBC, adverse events at HHSC surgical department are nearly double the national average.
According to the CIHI, HHSC was the only facility in the Province to show an increase in "preventable deaths" (which are self reported, so quite likely, under reported.)
Fred thinks we should brag about this.
I think Fred needs to give it a shake.
I'm all for being ambitious. But we have not lived up to our name and proven we fumble the big decisions. I still cant get over that stadium monstrosity in a neighbourhood. I think we need to up the level of competence on city council and that ponly comes through new blood.
ReplyDeleteSorce
Anyone recall the last time an incumbent councillor was unseated in Hamilton? I can only think of one instance in the 60 Ward contests since amalgamation, and that was a candidate who had a splashy personal flameout that earned a formal censure (and even then, he lost by <250 votes).
DeleteSanguine
there are certain to be a few fresh faces around the table after next falls election.
DeleteEither Skelly or Partridge will have moved on to greener pasture, I can't imagine a scenario wherein Mayor Fred would be returned to office, and I am prepared to bet that at least 2 lower City reps-Farr and Green have both made themselves particularly vulnerable-will be turfed.
Sadly,"new" does not necessarily ensure "better" but it does help to clear the air, and is likely to create fresh perspective.
Like in the 2014 election, when two pre-amalgamation town councillors returned to the public eyes, armed with the latest in 20th century thinking.
DeleteRimshot
and now Chris is asking for $500,000.00
ReplyDeleteHow can you know how much you need if you haven't a clue what you are doing?
This is sure to end well.