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What Amazon's HQ2 Wish List Signals About the Future of Cities https://hbr.org/2017/09/what-amazons-hq2-wish-list-signals-about-the... and opportunities for creative partnerships with community colleges and universities. • Access to domestic and global markets through modern infrastructure. Amazon dwells extensively on the importance of proximity and connectivity to population centers. It seeks a strong infrastructure network of highways, international airports, and high-speed broadband to streamline logistics, conduct business, and access major employment pools. • Connected and sustainable placemaking. The Amazon RFP reads like an urban planner's dream, brimming with calls for energy efficient buildings, recycling services, public plazas, green space, and access to multiple modes of transportation. While Amazon will apparently consider greenfield sites as well as existing developments for its new headquarters, it emphasizes its interest in promoting walkability and connectivity between densely clustered buildings through "sidewalks, bike lanes, trams, metro, bus, light rail, train, and additional creative options." • Culture and diversity. Promoting an inclusive culture matters to Amazon. The RFP specifically calls for "the presence and support of a diverse population," along with excellent higher education institutions and functioning local governance. In sum, the Amazon RFP very clearly embodies a series of forward -thinking business values of global engagement, diversity, and environmental stewardship. Amazon is also signaling very clearly and publicly what the market demands for modern, state -of -the -urban economic development going forward. As each of us has written about extensively, regional economic development is about growing from within. It requires helping existing firms expand and innovate, supporting entrepreneurs, creating industry -relevant skills programs, and strengthening other local assets that improve the economic prospects of local industries and workers. These attributes, even more than incentives packages, will attract the attention of outside firms interested in being part of a region's unique ecosystem. So rather than get distracted by the city vs. city competition brought about by Amazon's announcement, state and local economic development leaders need to bear down on reinventing the way they do business. Amazon's HQ2 will only be located in one city, but the path to prosperity in a hyper -digital global economy is attainable for cities that invest in people, infrastructure, and quality places. 3 of 4 9/13/2017, 1:17 PM