SNL Lampoons Newark's Odds Of Landing Amazon HQ (Video)

NEWARK, NJ — Stop us if you’ve heard this one. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos calls former Newark mayor-turned U.S. Senator Cory Booker into his office to hear his pitch for the city as the location of the company’s new headquarters.

“By the way… I know that we’re not getting this at all,” Booker says. “And that gives me tears of rage.”

This was the sketch performed on a recent Saturday Night Live, with Chris Redd portraying an over-enthusiastic "Cory Booker." It's a joke that may cut deep for some Newark residents and boosters, who have been championing the city – and New Jersey - as the ideal site for Amazon’s coveted new HQ.

Watch the full SNL video at the bottom of this article.

The facility will bring 50,000 “high-paying” jobs and “tens of billions of dollars” in additional investment in the surrounding community, according to the company. Amazon estimates that investments in its Seattle headquarters from 2010 through 2016 resulted in an additional $38 billion to the city’s economy. Every dollar invested by Amazon in Seattle generated $1.40 for the city’s economy overall, the company claims.

• See related article: Newark A Finalist For Amazon HQ2, Company Announces

What cities will get an edge in landing the mega-retailer’s new HQ? Amazon – which expects to make a final decision sometime in 2018 - has cited criteria that includes:

• “Metropolitan areas with more than one million people”
• “A stable and business-friendly environment”
• “Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent”
• “Communities that think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options”

The race to land the new facility – dubbed H2Q – has inspired proposals from more than 238 communities. Four of the cities in the final running for H2Q were included in the SNL sketch: Newark, Boston, Miami and Atlanta.

• See related article: Race To The Bottom: Quest For Amazon HQ Is 'Insane,' Critics Say

According to Amazon, the other locations that are among the final 20 candidates are: Austin, TX, Chicago, IL, Columbus, OH, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Indianapolis, IN, Los Angeles, CA, Montgomery County, MD, Nashville, TN, New York City, NY, Northern Virginia, VA, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, Raleigh, NC, Toronto, ON, and Washington D.C.

• See related article: Amazon HQ2: Shortlist Of Candidates Announced

Other Garden State cities and counties that have reportedly expressed interest in making bids for the new Amazon HQ include New Brunswick, Jersey City, Galloway Township, Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic City, as well as Camden and Mercer County.

• See related article: These 7 New Jersey Towns Could Be In Running For New Amazon HQ

So what’s Newark and New Jersey’s offer? About $7 billion in combined city and state tax breaks if Amazon chooses the Garden State.

The headquarters project would be required to create at least 30,000 new full-time jobs and represent a capital investment of at least $3 billion to earn the tax credits. The project would also be required to yield a net benefit to the state of at least 115 percent of the tax credits the company receives, according to a release from the state Senate.

It’s a play that Booker has backed ever since the city and state’s plan to lure H2Q was announced last year.

“Newark, New Jersey has often been maligned over the previous decades, but let's tell the truth about this incredible city,” Booker said during a press conference with Christie and current Newark Mayor Ras Baraka in October 2017.

“For centuries, Newark led this nation in innovation, in invention, and in industry as one of America's premier cities," Booker said. “Newark is not a charity case. It is the choice for companies who want to relocate and remain competitive and strong, not just in New Jersey and not just in our nation, but in a global context.”

The state’s proposal also received an enthusiastic thumbs-up from at-the-time Governor Chris Christie.

“Newark is prime for Amazon's HQ2 development, and this deal would amount to one of the most successful endeavors in the history of New Jersey and Amazon,” Christie said. “Newark is centrally located in the largest economic region, is a growing technology hub and offers the country's fastest internet. It features an ecosystem that boasts unparalleled talent, connectivity, world-class higher education, vast transportation options and unique cultural amenities.”

• See related article: 'Bring Amazon HQ To Newark,' Christie, New Jersey Democrats Say

WE WANT OUR H2Q

A heavyweight cast of New Jersey, Essex County and Newark politicians have recently stumped for the idea of bringing Amazon H2Q to the city. Here’s what they had to say:

• Ras Baraka (Newark Mayor) – “Newark is the perfect destination for Amazon because of our incredible business assets and resources, and the fact that it is a place where Amazon could have a tremendous social and economic impact. With more than 60,000 college students in the city, the most untapped bandwidth of dark fiber in the world, and access to Newark Liberty International Airport, the docks, railways, and roadways of the eastern corridor, Newark has unparalleled logistical advantages for a company like Amazon.”
• Sen. Sam Thomson (R-Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean) – “We’re very excited to see Newark named a finalist, but we’re not surprised. With New Jersey’s prime geographic location, diverse workforce, convenient transportation, and top schools, there’s no reason that we shouldn’t be one of the most competitive states in the nation for HQ2 and other large-scale development projects.”
• Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) – “We are ready to take on a new venture and to serve as Seattle’s counterpart in hosting Amazon’s new headquarters. We have all of the assets to not only meet, but exceed Amazon’s needs as it grows its operations. From access to the top professional talent in the world, a robust transportation network, top-tier universities and an arts and entertainment scene that will benefit the company and its workforce. We are also a unique tech hub, and hold the distinction of having the fastest Internet in the country.”
• Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) – “As a legislator who represents Newark, I cannot be more proud that our city is getting the recognition and spotlight it deserves. Newark is experiencing a transformation with increased economic activity and redevelopment, and I believe we are the perfect suitor for this company.”
• Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. – “It is very exciting news that the City of Newark has been included on Amazon’s short list of locations for their second headquarters. Making it to the next level for consideration is a testament to the thorough and comprehensive plan that highlights the advantages of Newark, as well as the ongoing revitalization of the downtown area and residential neighborhoods.”

RACE TO THE BOTTOM

But as cities continue their rush to land H2Q – and offer juicier deals and tax breaks to sweeten the pot - some pundits say that the “race to the bottom” represents an unsettling trend.

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP), a nonprofit advocacy group that has been vocal about the state’s bid to land H2Q, said that the Garden State’s largest city would make a prime location for the new facility.

“But we remain wary of the steep price tag for taxpayers that state and local lawmakers have already put on this project,” NJPP Vice President Jon Whiten said. “By putting at least $5 billion, and potentially several billion dollars more, in taxpayer dollars on the table so early in the game, New Jersey has ensured that is returns will be minimized if Amazon were to ultimately choose the state.”

• See related article: NJ Ready To Give Billions In Tax Breaks For 50,000 Amazon Jobs

According to Whiten, the NJPP filed an Open Public Records Act request with the City of Newark in an effort to learn more about its offer to Amazon, but received a reply that doing so would “provide competing cities with an advantage in the competition.”

"Across the country, cities and states are hiding behind a variety of legal barriers in order to keep their subsidy-fueled bids for Amazon's new headquarters secret,” Whiten charged. “For New Jersey’s economy to be truly competitive and strong, the state needs to get back to basics: investing in the assets that give us an edge. Whether that’s ensuring NJ Transit is reliable and affordable, strengthening the state’s public colleges and universities, or fostering smart, dense growth in walkable downtowns with more affordable places to live, these are the policy solutions New Jersey should have prioritized in its efforts to woo Amazon. Merely blowing the lid off already out-of-control corporate tax break policies comes at a hefty price tag for New Jersey's future.”

• See related article: New Jersey Keeps Doling Out Huge Tax Breaks To Corporations
• See related article: New Jersey Tries To Lure Mars Wrigley From Chicago With Tax Break

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Main Photo: YouTube / Saturday Night Live

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