Amazon HQ2 and Hamilton's Failed Bid- Making Lemon-Aid from Lemons?

Seemingly in an attempt to make lemon aid out of lemons, Clr. Farr is proposing the following via a motion.

MOTION: Making Good Use of a Great Amazon Bid Package

Moved by Farr
Seconded by_____

Whereas; Amazon has announced it's shortlist of cities that are eligible in their new H2 contest.
Whereas; Hamilton is not on that list.
Whereas; the City of Hamilton shared in a 50/50 cost split of up to 500k in our bid to attract Amazon.
Whereas; it was always contemplated that in the event Hamilton lost the bid, the bid proposal to attract Amazon would be beneficial in attracting future jobs and business, particularly in the tech field.

Therefore be it Resolved That; The appropriate staff from Economic Development be requested to report annually to council on any new jobs and business that were attracted to Hamilton as a result of both our staff's ongoing efforts and where those efforts included utilizing some or all of the materials the City submitted in the unsuccessful Amazon bid.


In tandem, this from Mayor Eisenberger:


STATEMENT BY MAYOR EISENBERGER ON AMAZON HQ2 SHORTLIST

Hamilton, ON – We learned this morning that Amazon has released its’ shortlist for their new HQ2. While we are disappointed that the City of Hamilton was not one of the 20 named cities, we are optimistic the only Canadian city to be included is the City of Toronto. Amazon choosing to locate anywhere in Ontario is beneficial.

We look forward to working with the Province and the City of Toronto in whatever way we can to support their bid. I offer my sincere congratulations to Mayor Tory and hope your bid is successful in this massive tech investment for Ontario.

Our ambition will not waiver. The City of Hamilton continues to celebrate those investing in our city, and welcome new interest in Canada’s most diversified economy. This bid was an opportunity for us to highlight our city, resources and capabilities. It was, and remains an opportunity to showcase all that Hamilton has to offer.

From a cost perspective, the very short time frame dictated that we engage outside resources to get it done professionally and on time. We quickly interviewed a number of firms, and landed on PWC, Cundari and Urban Strategies to assist. The investment was a 50/50 split of public and private funds.

We received tremendous input and support from community and regional partners including Niagara Region and the City of Burlington. I would like to thank everyone involved.

Welcome to Hamilton. Welcome to Unstoppable.

Hamilton Not on Short List for Amazon HQ2

Despite a spirited effort to secure a chance at being the secomd North American headquarters for Amazon, Hamilton did not make the short list. Toronto was the only Canadian city that did. The short list is as follows:

Atlanta, Georgia
Austin, Texas
Boston, Massachusetts
Chicago, Illinois
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Indianapolis, Indiana
Los Angeles, California
Miami, Florida
Montgomery County, Maryland
Nashville, Tennessee
New York City, New York
Newark, New Jersey
Northern Virginia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Raleigh, North Carolina
Toronto, Canada
Washington, DC

The Hamiltonian recognizes all those who worked hard on our bid. 

Media Release: City working to repair impacts of winter storm

HAMILTON, ON – Due to recent weather conditions, the City experienced extreme freezing and thawing temperatures which resulted in significant pavement damage and potholes on streets.

City crews are currently focusing on several road priorities; winter control activities which includes sanding, salting, plowing, and continue with pothole repairs.

As there have been numerous potholes reported to City staff, the City cautions motorists to drive defensively as they travel about the City, which includes:

Reducing speed of travel and preparing for a slower than usual commute;
Maintaining constant attentiveness to road conditions, pedestrians and cyclists;
Following other vehicles at a safe distance;
Maintaining clear views by thoroughly clearing your vehicle of snow, ice and mud;
Properly maintaining your vehicle, particularly tires, headlights and windshield wipers.

Residents and motorists are asked to report potholes by contacting the City’s Customer Service Contact Center during regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 905-546-CITY (2489). When reporting potholes, residents are asked to provide detailed information such as location (street addresses or intersections) and estimated size of the pothole. This will assist staff in prioritizing efforts.

The Mayor's Trade Mission to Colombia- Part 2

Hamilton Mayor- Fred Eisenberger

Our readers may recall that on the heels of mayor Eisenberger's trade mission to Colombia, we asked the Mayor some questions about the visit and its results and participants. The Mayor's responses at that time, and the questions we asked, can be read by clicking here.

Today,. we received an update from the Mayor's office with a link to an update/staff report on the trade mission, as part of today's GIC agenda. The update/staff report we received, can be read by clicking here. Appendix A to that report can be read by clicking here. he GIC meeting agenda can be read by clicking here.

The Hamiltonian thanks the Mayor and his office for engaging with Hamiltonians via The Hamiltonian.