Chicago submitted its bid this week to land Amazon's second North American headquarters, and on Friday Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner announced the 10 locations they pitched to the tech giant as a possible spot for HQ2.
The locations include two places in the "city core," six areas within the city that are outside of downtown, and two locations in the suburbs.
The 10 locations are:
- The Downtown Gateway District: includes space at Chicago's Willis Tower, the Old Main Post Office, and Union Station.
- City Center Campus: located in the Loop, including the James R. Thompson Center.
- Lincoln Yards: comprised of over 70 riverfront acres between Bucktown and Lincoln Park.
- The River District: south end of Goose Island with 37 acres of riverfront land.
- Fulton Market: the area once known as a meatpacking district now turned technology hub.
- Illinois Medical District: just west of downtown, it hosts three colleges, four medical centers and numerous public/private technology enterprises.
- The 78: a 62-acre undeveloped parcel of land in downtown Chicago where the University of Illinois System envisions its Discovery Partners Institute.
- Burnham Lakefront: extending from McCormick place to 31st Street Beach and Marina, it covers over half a mile of Lake Michigan frontage.
- Schaumburg: located at the former global headquarters site of Motorola Solutions.
- Oak Brook: located at the former headquarters for McDonald's.
“The sites identified in Chicago’s bid for HQ2 demonstrate the region’s unparalleled potential to support Amazon’s future growth,” Emanuel said in a statement. “The combination of these prime locations with the country’s most educated population, diversified economy and connected transportation system make it clear that Chicago is the ideal city for Amazon’s second headquarters as the company continues to expand.”
