Signal 1: Fast Economic Development, Urban Growth Consequences and P3

Unemployment rate in Seattle is currently below 4% thanks to the contributions of swift urban growth policy entrepreneurs of the likes of Jeff Bezos and Paul Allen. Bezos alone by creating Amazon headquarters (HQ1) in Seattle has helped produced almost 100,000 local jobs.

Allen created a Real Estate company named Vulcan, which has developed in Seattle many office buildings for Amazon and other giants. However, with this urban growth came unwanted changes, among others, radical housing rates increases, which forced communities to reduce the number of single-family homes near Lake Union.

Seattle fears Bezos might invest more towards economic development on HQ2. Key factors considered by Amazon are metro areas, constant business friendly ecosystem, places that recollect abundant technical talent and open minded communities in terms of Real Estate ventures.

The city that embraces HQ2 must have a plan to address problems such as increased vagrancy, gentrification, and worse traffic. All of these problems can be address by implementing a Public Private Partnerships (P3) policy.

Bezos will make a choice at the end of the year from Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, Montgomery, Nashville, New York, Newark, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Toronto or Washington.

Sources:

· Buhayar, Noah & Bass, Dina (2018, September 3rd) Bloomberg Businessweek Article: Jeff Bezos and Paul Allen made billions in tech and remade Seattle. Is the city better off? Retrieved from: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-08-30/how-big-tech-swallowed-seattle

· Cohn, Scott (2018, August 16th) CNBC Article: These cities are finishing strong as Amazon narrows down choice for new headquarters. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/16/as-amazon-narrows-choice-for-hq2these-cities-finishing-strong.html