Amazon narrows field for second headquarters location to 20

The list, released Thursday, includes major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta, as well as smaller communities including Pittsburgh, Raleigh and Nashville.

The nation's capital is heavily represented, with D.C., northern Virginia and the Maryland suburb of Montgomery County also making the cut.

Amazon has said it is seeking an international hub with strong educational institutions and high quality of life that can support as many as 50,000 future employees. The company projects that it may need as many as 8 million square feet of space to house its new offices. (Amazon chief executive, Jeff Bezos, owns The Washington Post.)

Amazon's announcement in September that it was looking for a location for a second headquarters set off a flurry of activity among cities and communities nationwide.

Driven by Amazon's promise of economic growth, local leaders in areas ranging from Connecticut to Oklahoma vied to host the company, which is currently based in Seattle. In its detailed request for proposals, Amazon said that its presence in Seattle had contributed roughly $38 billion to the city's economy over six years.

But the announcement also raised more difficult questions about the influence of large tech giants on cities and the possible unintended consequences of giving tax breaks and other benefits to an already successful corporate titan. Some Seattle residents have said Amazon's growth put strain on the city's transportation infrastructure and has contributed to a dramatic spike in housing costs - affecting low-income residents and favoring the tech elite.

Still, the release of the list prompted celebrations from some local politicians.

"Thx to all who put in hard work to get us here. Let's close the deal and bring it home!" tweeted former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe.

"Honored and excited to be included on @amazon's list of finalists for #AmazonHQ2," tweeted the city of Raleigh. "Proof that you don't need to live here to know it's an amazing place to call home."

In a statement, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the list showed Washington "is no longer a one-company government town" but a "leader in innovation and tech."

Should Amazon select from the three D.C.-area contenders, the entire region could see a boost, according to urban planning experts. The economic relationships among northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia could prompt Amazon employees to settle in Washington, for example, even if their commutes take them to the immediate suburbs.

"D.C. might stand to be a big beneficiary, even if Arlington (Va.) gets the ultimate nod," said Harriet Tregoning, a former planning and development official at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Amazon said it now expects to hold discussions with the remaining metro areas to "keep exploring opportunities." It declined to say when the company may make a final decision.

Here is a complete list of the areas Amazon is weighing:

Atlanta

Austin

Boston

Chicago

Columbus

Dallas

Denver

Indianapolis

Los Angeles

Miami

Montgomery County, Md.

Nashville

Newark

New York

Northern Virginia

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Raleigh

Toronto

Washington, D.C.

Author information: Brian Fung covers technology for The Washington Post, focusing on telecommunications, Internet access and the shifting media economy. Before joining The Post, he was the technology correspondent for National Journal and an associate editor at the Atlantic.