New York Governor ‘Amazon Cuomo’ is furious over canceled HQ2

Image: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

There is likely no one more distraught over Amazon’s decision to cancel its plans to build a second headquarters in Long Island City, Queens than New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“Amazon chose to come to New York because we are the capital of the world and the best place to do business,” said Governor Cuomo in a statement after Amazon’s announcement on Thursday. “However, a small group [of] politicians put their own narrow political interests above their community.”

Governor Cuomo was instrumental in bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to the city. The governor helped secure a deal with Amazon, which saw the company receiving a total of $3 billion tax incentives. 

Cuomo had also joked about changing his first name to “Amazon” in order to persuade the e-commerce giant to pick New York over hundreds of other cities.

Unlike New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a fellow HQ2 supporter who blamed Amazon for pulling out of the deal, Governor Cuomo claims the New York State Senate is at fault.

Many local politicians had criticized the deal due to the enormous tax break offered to Amazon as well as the company’s anti-union stance.

“The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage,” said the governor in his statement. “They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity.”

In Amazon’s announcement on Thursday, the company thanked Governor Cuomo for his support on the project. The company also hinted at the possibility of a partnership with New York in the future.

The governor’s full statement on Amazon’s cancelled HQ2 is below:

Amazon chose to come to New York because we are the capital of the world and the best place to do business. We competed in and won the most hotly contested national economic development competition in the United States, resulting in at least 25,000-40,000 good paying jobs for our state and nearly $30 billion dollars in new revenue to fund transit improvements, new housing, schools and countless other quality of life improvements. Bringing Amazon to New York diversified our economy away from real estate and Wall Street, further cementing our status as an emerging center for tech and was an extraordinary economic win not just for Queens and New York City, but for the entire region, from Long Island to Albany’s nanotech center. 

However, a small group politicians put their own narrow political interests above their community — which poll after poll showed overwhelmingly supported bringing Amazon to Long Island City — the state’s economic future and the best interests of the people of this state. The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage. They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity. 

The fundamentals of New York’s business climate and community that attracted amazon to be here – our talent pool, world-class education system, commitment to diversity and progressivism – remain and we won’t be deterred as we continue to attract world class business to communities across New York State.