• A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. This Center for Economic Growth rendering shows the proposed HQ2 as it would look from the west, with the Empire State Plaza in the foreground.
Image 1of/55

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 55
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. This Center for Economic Growth rendering shows the proposed HQ2 as it would look from the west, with the Empire State Plaza in the foreground. less
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. This Center for Economic Growth rendering shows the proposed HQ2 as it would look from the west, with the ... more
Image 2 of 55
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. In this rendering, the view is looking north, up the Hudson River, with Albany on the left. The project, as envisioned by the Center for Economic Growth, would tie the two cities together with a promenade across the Hudson. less
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. In this rendering, the view is looking north, up the Hudson River, with Albany on the left. The project, as ... more
Image 3 of 55
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. This Center for Economic Growth rendering shows the proposed HQ2 as occupying space on the Rensselaer waterfront as well as vacant land originally set aside for the downtown Albany convention center. Looking west, with the Rensselaer rail station in the foreground and the Empire State Plaza in the background. less
A rendering of what Amazon's second headquarters would have looked like in Albany and Rensselaer, N.Y. This Center for Economic Growth rendering shows the proposed HQ2 as occupying space on the Rensselaer ... more
Image 4 of 55
Buy photo
Imagine what Albany and the Capital Region's other cities would look like if every project that had ever been proposed were constructed. Quite different. Click through the slideshow for a glimpse into some of the proposals.
less
Imagine what Albany and the Capital Region's other cities would look like if every project that had ever been proposed were constructed. Quite different. Click through the slideshow for a glimpse into some of
... more
Photo: Will Waldron, Albany Times Union
Buy this photo
Image 5 of 55
Image 6 of 55
The proposed Freedom Arch on the Empire State Plaza
The proposed Freedom Arch on the Empire State Plaza
Image 7 of 55
Stairs connecting the Capitol to the Mall were part of the original plan for the Empire State Plaza. Rendering by Marcel Mutin for Harrison & Abramovitz, architects. 
Stairs connecting the Capitol to the Mall were part of the original plan for the Empire State Plaza. Rendering by Marcel Mutin for Harrison & Abramovitz, architects. 
Photo: File Photo
Image 8 of 55
Rendering of the aerial gondola that would connect Amtrak's ninth busiest station, in Rensselaer, with downtown Albany.
Rendering of the aerial gondola that would connect Amtrak's ninth busiest station, in Rensselaer, with downtown Albany.
Image 9 of 55
Rendering of the aerial gondola that would connect Amtrak's ninth busiest station, in Rensselaer, with downtown Albany.
Rendering of the aerial gondola that would connect Amtrak's ninth busiest station, in Rensselaer, with downtown Albany.
Image 10 of 55
Image 11 of 55
A rendering shows the proposed Albany Skyline park.
A rendering shows the proposed Albany Skyline park.
Image 12 of 55
A rendering of the multi-building development planned for Quackenbush Square at 705 Broadway, just north of downtown Albany.
A rendering of the multi-building development planned for Quackenbush Square at 705 Broadway, just north of downtown Albany.
Image 13 of 55
A rendering depicts the proposed tower in downtown Albany.
A rendering depicts the proposed tower in downtown Albany.
Image 14 of 55

This rendering from the Center for Economic Growth shows a proposed HQ2 for Amazon as it would look from the west, with the Empire State Plaza in the foreground.

This rendering from the Center for Economic Growth shows a proposed HQ2 for Amazon as it would look from the west, with the Empire State Plaza in the foreground.

Image 15 of 55
Image 16 of 55

In this rendering, the view is looking north up the Hudson River, with Albany on the left. The project, as envisioned by the Center for Economic Growth, would tie the two cities together with a promenade across the Hudson.

less

In this rendering, the view is looking north up the Hudson River, with Albany on the left. The project, as envisioned by the Center for Economic Growth, would tie the two cities together with a promenade across

... more
Image 17 of 55

Looking west, with the Rensselaer rail station in the foreground and the Empire State Plaza in the background. Amazon would occupy space on the Rensselaer waterfront as well as vacant land originally set aside for the downtown Albany convention center.

less

Looking west, with the Rensselaer rail station in the foreground and the Empire State Plaza in the background. Amazon would occupy space on the Rensselaer waterfront as well as vacant land originally set aside

... more
Image 18 of 55
A rendering of a prior development proposal for One Monument Square in downtown Troy.
A rendering of a prior development proposal for One Monument Square in downtown Troy.
Image 19 of 55
Buy photo
An October 2015 artist's rendering of the planned development for 1 Monument Square in Troy. The site was once the location of City Hall.
An October 2015 artist's rendering of the planned development for 1 Monument Square in Troy. The site was once the location of City Hall.
Buy this photo
Image 20 of 55
Image 21 of 55
Artist's rendering of the Monument Square development from the Hudson River side Monday morning Feb. 3, 2014.
Artist's rendering of the Monument Square development from the Hudson River side Monday morning Feb. 3, 2014.
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN
Image 22 of 55
Rendering of proposed design plans for Monument Square in Troy, N.Y.
Rendering of proposed design plans for Monument Square in Troy, N.Y.
Image 23 of 55
Buy photo
Artists rendering of the full service casino that was proposed for East Greenbush during a joint press conference between Churchill Downs Inc. and Saratoga Casino and Raceway Tuesday morning, May 13, 2014, in East Greenbush, N.Y. less
Artists rendering of the full service casino that was proposed for East Greenbush during a joint press conference between Churchill Downs Inc. and Saratoga Casino and Raceway Tuesday morning, May 13, 2014, in ... more
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN
Buy this photo
Image 24 of 55
Buy photo
Artists rendering of the full service casino that was proposed for East Greenbush during a joint press conference between Churchill Downs Inc. and Saratoga Casino and Raceway Tuesday morning May 13, 2014 in East Greenbush, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein / Times Union) less
Artists rendering of the full service casino that was proposed for East Greenbush during a joint press conference between Churchill Downs Inc. and Saratoga Casino and Raceway Tuesday morning May 13, 2014 in ... more
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN
Buy this photo
Image 25 of 55
Image 26 of 55
An alternate version of the Albany Convention Center that was on display at the Albany Heritage Visitors Center in Albany, NY Wednesday April 27, 2011.
An alternate version of the Albany Convention Center that was on display at the Albany Heritage Visitors Center in Albany, NY Wednesday April 27, 2011.
Photo: Michael P. Farrell
Image 27 of 55
An alternate version of the Albany Convention Center on display at the Albany Heritage Visitors Center, Wednesday April 27, 2011.
An alternate version of the Albany Convention Center on display at the Albany Heritage Visitors Center, Wednesday April 27, 2011.
Photo: Michael P. Farrell
Image 28 of 55
Artist rendering of proposed Franklin Alley changes in Troy, N.Y.
Artist rendering of proposed Franklin Alley changes in Troy, N.Y.
Image 29 of 55
Artist rendering of proposed Franklin Alley changes in Troy, N.Y.
Artist rendering of proposed Franklin Alley changes in Troy, N.Y.
Image 30 of 55
Image 31 of 55
An alternate version of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering building on Washington Avenue Extension in Albany N.Y.
An alternate version of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering building on Washington Avenue Extension in Albany N.Y.
Image 32 of 55
An alternate version of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering buildings on Washington Ave. in Albany, N.Y. The buildings are described as the Nanoelectronics Building (NanoFab West) and the ZEN Building. Each building is 250,000 square feet. less
An alternate version of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering buildings on Washington Ave. in Albany, N.Y. The buildings are described as the Nanoelectronics Building (NanoFab West) and the ZEN ... more
Image 33 of 55
The Howe Caverns Resort and Casino released a rendering of its proposed facility in Howes Cave.
The Howe Caverns Resort and Casino released a rendering of its proposed facility in Howes Cave.
Image 34 of 55
Buy photo
Rendering of the proposed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Rensselaer, N.Y.
Rendering of the proposed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Rensselaer, N.Y.
Photo: Cindy Schultz
Buy this photo
Image 35 of 55
Image 36 of 55
Photo of artist's rendering of the Capital View Casino and Resort shown Monday afternoon Sept. 8, 2014 at hearings put on by the casino board in Albany, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)
Photo of artist's rendering of the Capital View Casino and Resort shown Monday afternoon Sept. 8, 2014 at hearings put on by the casino board in Albany, N.Y. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)
Photo: ALBANY TIMES UNION
Image 37 of 55
The East Greenbush casino partnership — Saratoga Gaming and Racing and Churchill Downs Inc. — have released this new rendering of their proposed $300 million casino development on Thompson Hill.
The East Greenbush casino partnership — Saratoga Gaming and Racing and Churchill Downs Inc. — have released this new rendering of their proposed $300 million casino development on Thompson Hill.
Image 38 of 55
Rendering of a proposed CDTA bus transit road at the University at Albany.
Rendering of a proposed CDTA bus transit road at the University at Albany.
Image 39 of 55
Rendering of improvements at Albany County Nursing Home
Rendering of improvements at Albany County Nursing Home
Image 40 of 55
Image 41 of 55
2013 rendering from Omni Development Company which shows the proposed site of planned aquarium and technology museum in Albany, N.Y. (Omni Development Company)
2013 rendering from Omni Development Company which shows the proposed site of planned aquarium and technology museum in Albany, N.Y. (Omni Development Company)
Photo: Omni Development Company
Image 42 of 55
Rendering of the proposed Albany High School.
Rendering of the proposed Albany High School.
Image 43 of 55
A rendering for the proposed 11-theater multiplex movie theater project from Bow Tie Cinemas at 1 Monument Square in Troy, N.Y. (City of Troy)
A rendering for the proposed 11-theater multiplex movie theater project from Bow Tie Cinemas at 1 Monument Square in Troy, N.Y. (City of Troy)
Photo: CPereira
Image 44 of 55
Arendering for the proposed 11-theater multiplex movie theater project from Bow Tie Cinemas at 1 Monument Square in Troy, N.Y. (City of Troy)
Arendering for the proposed 11-theater multiplex movie theater project from Bow Tie Cinemas at 1 Monument Square in Troy, N.Y. (City of Troy)
Photo: CPereira
Image 45 of 55
Image 46 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Image 47 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Image 48 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy City Center, Tuesday May, 24, 2011.
Image 49 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Image 50 of 55
Image 51 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Image 52 of 55
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Rendering of proposed Troy waterfront development, April 27, 2011.
Image 53 of 55
A rendering of the proposed Department of Health building at the SUNY Poly campus in Albany.
A rendering of the proposed Department of Health building at the SUNY Poly campus in Albany.
Image 54 of 55
Buy photo
People were encouraged to use sticky notes to express their thoughts on renderings during an open house for the public on the Corning Preserve Waterfront Park plan at City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 in Albany, N.Y. They are proposing ways to open up this waterfront for more access along with new opportunities for boating and dining, ecologically restored pond, and an expanded park area. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less
People were encouraged to use sticky notes to express their thoughts on renderings during an open house for the public on the Corning Preserve Waterfront Park plan at City Hall Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 in Albany, ... more
Photo: Lori Van Buren
Buy this photo
Image 55 of 55

Access to a skilled and diverse workforce, proximity to 31 educational institutions, and support packages that brought companies like GlobalFoundries to the area were among the incentives Albany officials hoped would convince Amazon to build its second headquarters in the Capital Region.

"Tech Valley offers you the right physical spaces, the right labor force and a commitment for extraordinary partnership and support from us," Andrew Kennedy, president and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth, wrote in a letter to the company.

A copy of the 34-page pitch, prepared by CEG, was obtained by USA Today Network's Albany bureau through a Freedom of Information request. The copy includes bids made on behalf of the Capital Region, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Utica. The proposals, and a story from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, may be found here.

Only the pitch for New York City and the lower Hudson Valley survived after Seattle-based Amazon narrowed the list of candidate cities to 20.

Here are some highlights from the Capital Region's pitch:

Locations

Officials envisioned an Amazon campus – "Amazon Promenade" – in downtown Albany and along Rensselaer's waterfront, noting new office space and mixed-use properties, mass transit options and walkability.

They also offered two alternative sites: 27.5 acres at the Gov. W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus near the University at Albany and 150 acres at the Luther Forest Tech Campus. The Harriman Campus site has been upgraded and is near the airport, and officials "would work with you to develop a pathway to site control," they wrote in the proposal. The 1,400-acre Luther Forest site is near GlobalFoundries. Both sites would include an Amazon shuttle service Albany.

Tax incentives

The Capital Region's proposal doesn't include a specific amount in tax breaks. Rochester and Buffalo submitted a joint bid, offering more than $1.2 billion in total incentives, USA Today's Albany bureau reported.

Land for Amazon's HQ2 would be provided through a long-term lease or purchase, preparation costs would be covered by regional partners and improvements like road access would be supplied at no cost to Amazon, according to the Capital Region's bid. The company would receive a long-term tax abatement for construction, other costs and property taxes and set rates for subsidized electricity, water and waste water provisions. They were also offered a payroll tax abatement and a personal income tax reduction for Amazon workers.

Officials pledged expansion of the Capital District Transportation Authority and said Albany International Airport would add nonstop flights to meet demand. The proposal also mentions a gondola going across the Hudson River.

To help Amazon find talent, officials said they would work with the company on "unique access" to job fairs, incentives for alumni at the region's educational institutions to stay in the area and relocation support for Amazon's employees.

Amazon High School

In a section about the Capital Region's training institutions and co-working spaces, the bid mentions the possibility of an Amazon High School.

"We will ensure that Amazon can shape local school and university curricula to meet your future workforce needs – starting with the University at Albany Engineering program and the potential for Amazon High School," officials wrote.