Senators’ Letter to Gov. Wolf Regarding Amazon’s HQ2

Yesterday, Senator Vogel and eleven other state senators representing Western PA penned a letter to the Governor urging his Administration to aggressively market this region as a location for Amazon’s proposed second headquarters facility.

The letter reads:

Dear Governor Wolf:

According to recent media reports. Amazon is currently soliciting proposals from cities and states as a site for its second company headquarters (HQ2) in North America. Western Pennsylvania would be an ideal location for this major economic development opportunity and strong legislative support exists to work with the Administration to bring the headquarters here.

As you know, Pennsylvania has partnered with Amazon to locate and develop a number of operations here in our state. Currently, Amazon’s extensive footprint across Pennsylvania, includes a software development center in Pittsburgh, pickup centers in State College and the University of Pennsylvania Campus in Philadelphia, as well as fulfillment/distribution centers in a number of communities across the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania should aggressively market and promote our status as the Keystone State. We are an important crossroads that connects the northeast, the south, as well as the Great Lakes region and all points west.

Development of Amazon HQ2 in Western Pennsylvania would truly be a much-needed regionally transformational event and I believe state government should actively and strenuously promote the many assets that make this region an excellent candidate for this corporate headquarters.

Pennsylvania is home to an educated, energetic and dedicated workforce, which could be augmented and enhanced by drawing talented individuals from neighboring states.

Western Pennsylvania offers many “quality-of-life” enticements that would be attractive to corporate leaders and staff, a fact that regularly places the region on the top of “best places to live” lists published by national media and polling organizations.

We offer a diverse range of housing options priced significantly lower than comparable homes in most major metropolitan areas. We are at the crossroads of a number of major highways linking the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions. Combined with our evolving natural gas industry, our multi-modal transportation hubs provide the foundation of a great portfolio that we can aggressively present to Amazon. And, finally – but certainly not least by any means – are the natural resources and recreational and cultural opportunities that we offer.

The Keystone State is an attractive place to do business and we strongly urge the Administration to aggressively market Western Pennsylvania as a site for Amazon’s HQ2.

Sincerely,

Dan Laughlin, Joseph Scarnati, Michele Brooks, Scott Hutchinson, Guy Reschenthaler, Elder Vogel, Donald White, Camera Bartolotta, Kim Ward, Patrick Stefano, Randy Vulakovich, and Wayne Langerholc.