Including undisclosed bids for Amazon?s new headquarters Planners, business councils, and local leaders across the country have strived to land one of the biggest economic development opportunities of the decade: Amazon?s HQ2, a second base of operations for the company promising 50,000 jobs.
The frenzied nationwide competition has led to a score of creative bids and attempts to woo the e-commerce giant.
It?s led to many million-dollar bids and incentive packages from big cities. Or, in many cases, assumed multi-million dollar packages, since in many cases, due to non-disclosure agreements, residents don?t know what kind of breaks and benefits are being offered in their name.
Numerous cities, including Louisville, Kentucky, St. Louis, Missouri, and Washington, D.C., have previously declined to offer key details of their bids. Nashville, which has made its own bid for the tech giant, may have a solution to the lack of transparency around this corporate dating game. As reported in Next City, the Metro Council recently passed a ?Do Better? bill, which would require companies angling for incentives to make public how many residents they?ll hire, wages they?ll pay, and their history of safety violations.
The bill passed despite objections from members of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, who were concerned about forcing companies to reveal safety and wage practices.
Promoted by lead sponsor Councilman Anthony Davis, the bill was inspired by a lengthy Nashville Sce...