Mass. makes Amazon HQ pitch with Fall River, Taunton possible locations

October 20, 2017 11:28 pm

By John Krinjak

Email: jkrinjak@abc6.com

Twitter: @johnkrinjakABC6

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — While Rhode Island is staying mum about the details of their Amazon proposal, Massachusetts is spelling it all out in a nearly 200-page pitch.

In its pitch released Friday, Massachusetts listed 26 cities and towns as possible locations for the tech giant’s new headquarters–including Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton and Foxboro.

Meanwhile Boston is making its own separate bid to woo Amazon–on a site the city says is shovel-ready.

The company is pledging to invest $5 billion dollars in its host city–and create up to 50,000 jobs.

Fall River is an option–with 500 acres of land adjacent to–and down the street from–Amazon’s existing fulfillment center.

Then there’s New Bedford, which offers just over 100 acres of land on the currently Whaling City Golf Course, just off I-195.

In Taunton the site of the Silver City Galleria Mall is a possibility–with two already-vacant anchor stores and plenty of surrounding land. A potential selling point–it’s centrally located between Providence and Boston.

And Foxboro boasts 200 acres of land along Route 1, owned by Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Right now that land is used for parking at the stadium on game days and concerts.

Then, of course, there’s Boston.

"We’d love to have it. Certainly we’d love to have it in Boston. Obviously we’ll keep talking to them, we’ll keep an eye on it, and we’ll see what happens," said Mayor Marty Walsh.

Boston and Revere are jointly pitching a 161-acre site at Suffolk Downs, hoping to catch Amazon’s eye–and they have.

Company executives say they’re leaning toward the capital city for a second headquarters.

There’s no word yet on what tax breaks might be offered, but the proposal says taxpayers could spend more than $800 million on subway and road improvements to ease access to the site.

Massachusetts officials say quality of life, colleges, transportation and innovation are all selling points for Amazon to make their new home in the Bay State.