A month after Amazon announced it would be splitting HQ2 between Virginia and NYC, details are beginning to trickle out on Denver metro's failed bid.
Thanks to diligent public records request work by the Denver Biz Journal, we now know the five areas submitted to the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. by the Denver Office of Economic Development..
"We submitted all 30 sites to Amazon following a significant vetting process to ensure each property could support Amazon HQ2 and/or other follow-on investment opportunities from the company," Sam Bailey, vice president of the Metro Denver EDC, told the Denver Business Journal in an email. "Of the 30 sites, eight sites were selected to lead Metro Denver EDC’s proposal for Amazon HQ2."
Five of the 30 areas came from the Denver Office of Economic Development, the DBJ said.
“All areas offer excellent access to multiple modes of transportation, the metropolitan area’s workforce, and the tech and innovation community,” said Derek Woodbury, the Denver Office of Economic Development's communications director.
The city declined to specify the exact locations of the proposed sites to the Biz Journal, citing a three-year non-disclosure agreement with Amazon.
In addition to Denver, the Biz Journal uncovered that Commerce City, Lone Tree, Louisville, Sterling Ranch and Thornton also submitted HQ2 bids to the Metro Denver EDC.
Despite missing out on Amazon, each of these communities have shown the ability to house a large-scale development.
When the next HQ2-level opportunity comes available, these Colorado municipalities are sure to be back in the conversation.
To read the the Denver Biz Journal's complete HQ2 coverage, click here.
