From Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – At a press conference in Railroad Park, Birmingham mayor William Bell announced a campaign to bring a second headquarters for corporate giant, Amazon, to the city. The campaign has been dubbed Bring Amazon to Birmingham or BringAtoB.
Birmingham Mayor William Bell stands before an Amazon box at Railroad Park. Photo from the mayor’s Facebook page.
“Amazon needs a city which thinks like they do – big and creatively,” Bell said. “Over the last decade, our city has relentlessly invested in infrastructure and technology. In doing so we’ve built a thriving creative and economic landscape that’s primed for a company like Amazon. That’s why we are calling upon everyone to help deliver a powerful, welcoming message to Amazon.”
Recently, Amazon issued requests for proposals on where to establish another headquarters location. Part of the effort to convince Amazon to come to Birmingham has taken the form of erecting large boxes with the company’s logo on several streets in the city, including Railroad Park, the Pizitz and a future box to be set up at Legion Field.
Bell requested citizens of Birmingham to take part in the campaign by being active on social media, using #BringAtoB and tagging Amazon. A website has already been set up at bringatob.com.
“Every great city across the United States is competing for consideration – bringing everything they can to the table to stand out,” Bell said. “But we have a big advantage over all those: our citizens. Their united voice will undoubtedly prove to Amazon that Birmingham is a bold bet worth making.”
51 Comments
Ethan Sullens
Oh Billy
Cole Stephens
Not going to happen
Kris Reeves
“Our city has relentlessly invested in technology and infrastructure.“ Is this the same city that argued and resisted for two years before allowing Uber to operate?
Glenn Leeman
Good luck.
Greg Gunter
Dahc Xoc
The same city that’s ran off countless businesses… too funny
Rhonda Webb
Amazon has a warehouse in Leeds already
Dustin Reaves
I have two distributors in the Birmingham City limits. Neither of them can find decent employees that show up on time and do the job they are hired to do. Orders are hardly ever ready when they are supposed to be and are incorrect almost as much as they are correct.
Andy Rains
To be fair, it was one city councilwoman Kim Rafferty that was blocking Uber’s progress. She was chair of the transportation committee. She was removed as chair, two weeks later Uber was operating in Birmingham.
Emmett Haislip
I doubt it.
Scott Sizemore
Not going to happen. No work force and too much inbred politics
Jan O. Smith
Maybe the jobs should be offered to retirees, maybe as part time work.
Brian Wells
good luck with that.
Dustin Reaves
Im certain if any applied and could operate a fork lift or do warehouse picking they would get the job. If your interested PM me and Ill tell you where to apply.
Phillip Acton
Wasn’t he on Larry Langford’s committee that was going to bring us a Beluga Whale and the Olympic Games?
Matthew Norman
Not good to happen
Carla Bailey Nelson
Not gonna happen. I did some research on the top locations for Amazon they were considering awhile back. One huge consideration is a direct flight to Seattle. That is not the case for Birmingham, and they can go to Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Chicago, and I think it was North Carolina and have that without a stipulation. If they manage to pull Amazon off, then awesome, but everything I read did not even mention Alabama.
Jennifer Chinnis Lawley
I’m pretty sure Amazon is opening a distribution center in Mobile.
Aaron Bruce
With the high crime rate and the unbridled homicides in Birmingham I can’t believe anyone who does the research would want to come there. But hey, good luck.
Thomas Burleson
This isn’t a warehouse or distribution center. Amazon is opening a second Headquarters so they will be hiring office personnel.
Thomas Burleson
The crime rate in Birmingham is similar to the other major cities that are being considered.
Kerry McCormick
Good luck with that, you demodumbass. Nobody is going to bring something as big as Amazon to your city, even radical liberal Jeff Bezos knows better than that. He’s a businessman first, and liberal last.
Delane HoneyCutt Parker
Wishful thinking
Mike McGrath
What is the murder rate 1 or 2 per day
Christie Henson Mckee
What is this campaign costing the city of Birmingham?
Brent Edwards
He is so clueless! If I had to bet the decision has already been made with Amazon buying five huge warehouse in Jefferson Ga. They had job festival Friday and Saturday said they needed 1000. New workers.
Mike Parker
They wouldn’t even attempt to visit your city, much less open a business here. More political pandering by a desperate mayor.
Sondra Martin
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/09/25/technology/wooing-amazon-second-headquarters.html?referer=https://www.google.com/
Go, BIRMINGHAM, go!!!! This would be huge for the city and surrounding areas. And there has been a huge push around infrastructure in the city. The interstate project is an example of this. Downtown looks completely different than it did ten years ago…just think of Regions Field, Uptown, all the new restaurants and businesses. And we have a lower wage base than many cities. Sounds like we need a direct flight to Seattle to be competitive.
Zeke Ward
Must be election time!! He is going to do something!!
Leigh Jackson Bailey
Never gonna happen!
Joni Waltner Ellington
He truly is delusional!
Ed Hollis
Yeah right.!!! High crime rate and dysfunctional city government
Would make it so desirable!!
Fulmer Barry
Laugh so hard Tears ran down my leg
Jonathan Hodges
Just trying to win an election. It’s never going to happen.
Diana Katrina Ingram
The city can’t even manage the sale of toilets how can they possibly manage this?
Briana Moore
Good luck enticing them with the current crime rate + you throw in sanctuary city political BS…I’m sure Amazon has more sense.
Lynne Elsberry Bates Ferrante
Sounds like Alpharetta maybe. It’s exploded. Their wage base is low.
Sam Modder
Is that the wall around the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors memorial?
Terry Yerby
I love amazon, never had any problems with my orders, however I cant stand mayor Bell , especially after the memorial thing.
Ralph Barber
…who is it supposed to keep out?
Stephen Hinton
Funniest thing I have read in a while
Tamara Pitts Mahaffey
Wonder what this cost the city?
Sam Modder
Prying eyes!
Larry Pelham
He would say enything to get back in office
Matthew Pledger
I’ll trust Jeff Bezos before William Bell any day!!!
Susan Duke
I’ll believe it, when I see it.
Derek Ried
Ha! Right
Donna Fields
BHAM vote this guy out!
Ken Armstrong
There’s money to be put in his pocket somewhere in this silly attempt.
KD Mooresmith
The news said they are looking for a city with mass transit for the employees they hire – B’ham doesn’t have that nor does it have access to rivers etc. to transport goods – at least that’s what the news said … they said Pittsburgh is probably going to get it or something close to the Great Lakes
Bryan Benson
I aim to be a millionaire. That’s not happened yet either.