Indy Chamber, Regional Leadership Release Joint Statement on Amazon HQ2

This morning, the Indy Chamber received word from global technology firm Amazon that Indianapolis was named as one of 20 finalist cities in their search for the location of their second headquarters.  The Indy Chamber convened regional and state leaders to submit a proposal for Amazon HQ2 in October 2017, and today’s announcement reinforces Central Indiana’s strategy of regional collaboration to creatively address the needs of Amazon.

"Today’s short list from Amazon makes clear that no matter what the final decision may be, Indianapolis is already a big winner,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Every day we are gaining more recognition as a growing tech hub, and I am proud that Central Indiana’s unique combination of connectivity, quality of life, and affordable living has once again put us on the global stage. I want to thank Mayor Scott Fadness and our regional partners for their tireless work, and I look forward to continuing our unprecedented collaboration to promote the limitless future of the Crossroads of America.”

Supported by recent announcements from Salesforce, Infosys and more, the booming technology ecosystem in Indianapolis continues to grow. According to data from Develop Indy, Indianapolis saw the creation of more than 6,600 new jobs in 2017, more than half of which came from the tech sector.

Today we are announcing the communities that will proceed to the next step in the HQ2 process. Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough – all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity https://t.co/x1bFYbk4Ui pic.twitter.com/J2x0HHzBTR

— Amazon News (@amazonnews) January 18, 2018

“Today’s announcement reaffirms that that opportunities for the Indianapolis Metro are endless when we work together as a region,” says Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, chairman of the Central Indiana Council of Elected Officials (CICEO). “It’s an exciting day worth celebrating, and it’s my hope that we continue to have these types of opportunities to work regionally, put our best foot forward, and drive innovation and growth in our economy.”

While the Indy Chamber is excited for this morning’s announcement, they are now preparing to address any additional needs of Amazon in their decision making process.

“This morning’s announcement of Indianapolis as a finalist recognizes our key assets and talent as world-class,” notes Indy Chamber Chief Economic Development Officer Maureen Krauss. “We were prepared and will continue to abide by the wishes of Amazon, our customer, and their process.”

The Indy Chamber and regional partners will continue to work together as next steps become available from Amazon.