Milwaukee doesn't make cut for Amazon’s second U.S. headquarters

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Milwaukee did not make the cut for Amazon’s second U.S. headquarters.

Milwaukee was part of a bid for second Amazon Headquarters, which could potentially bring 50,000 jobs. Amazon released a list of the 20 finalists Thursday morning, but Milwaukee didn't make the cut.

Following the announcement, Mayor Barrett's Office released the following statement: 

“Like the other 217 other localities that didn’t make Amazon’s list, we’re disappointed. We think the company is missing out on a lot of great things going on in the Milwaukee area. This process was beneficial to us because, through M7, we strengthened our sales pitch to other companies looking to grow in a new location. Also, very importantly, we strengthened our regional partnerships with members of M7, and that unity will lead to future economic development successes.”

While Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce President Tim Sheehy is also disappointed, he doesn't see it as a setback either. Sheehy said making the sales pitch to Amazon helped the city see their strengths and weaknesses. 

"We need to continue to improve our transit system, our roads and we have to continue to make sure this is a competitive place," Sheehy said. 

Milwaukee Department of City Development Commissioner Rocky Marcoux said more and more people are interested in coming to Milwaukee. 

"We have a significant number of people that are moving in and putting some deep routes in the immediate downtown and surrounding areas," Marcoux said. 

Marcoux said several projects are in the works that make the city more appealing to potential businesses and the people who would work for them, such as the Harbor District Project and the Milwaukee Streetcar. Marcoux believes the streetcar and its connection to several other modes of transportation could attract millennials.

"It speaks to their ascetic in terms of the environment and living in a compact urban area," Marcoux said. 

As for Sheehy, he's looking forward to more businesses pitches Milwaukee will make in the future. 

"We would love to have Amazon part of that story, but we'll have to move on," Sheehy said. 

The finalists for Amazon's second headquarters include:

Atlanta, GA

Austin, TX

Boston, MA

Chicago, IL

Columbus, OH

Dallas, TX

Denver, CO

Indianapolis, IN

Los Angeles, CA

Miami, FL

Montgomery County, MD

Nashville, TN

Newark, NJ

New York City, NY

Northern Virginia

Philadelphia, PA

Pittsburgh, PA

Raleigh, NC

Toronto, Canada

Washington D.C.

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