Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios said county officials are pursuing efforts to bring Amazon’s East Coast headquarters to Middlesex County. The initiative represents coordination with the New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO), the State of New Jersey, and with its municipal partners in response to Amazon’s request for proposals to locate its second corporate headquarters – bringing as many as 50,000 new full-time jobs.
“Middlesex County has everything that Amazon is seeking, and we are working with our partners to put the strongest possible proposal together to bring Amazon to our community,” Director Rios said. “Why? This could mean 50,000 new, full-time jobs. It will boost the local and regional economies. It will raise the quality of life of all our residents and enhance our already strong business environment.”
DEVCO is the economic development arm of this effort and will take the lead in preparing the response.
“Bringing Amazon here makes our entire region a winner,” said Freeholder Kenneth Armwood, chair of the County’s Business Development and Education Committee. “And Middlesex County will be at the center of it all.”
The county, noted Freeholder Armwood, has the top-notch educational facilities, including Middlesex County College, the Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences and Science Mathematics, and Engineering Technologies high schools, and Rutgers University.
Middlesex County also has the technological infrastructure, and access to major highways and mass transit that the proposal requires. The county is within easy reach of an international airport and has the highly educated, diverse workforce. All of these qualities are those that Amazon has listed as priorities in choosing a location, Freeholder Armwood said.
According to the proposal request, Amazon prefers the following: a metropolitan area with more than one million people; a stable, business-friendly environment; a location that attracts and retains strong technical talent; and communities that “think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options.”
“That describes Middlesex County in a nutshell,” Director Rios said. “I am excited by this opportunity to show what this County — what this region — has to offer. Amazon would do well by choosing Middlesex County for its East Coast headquarters.”