Amazon has triggered a $5 billion bidding war — here are the cities that are in competition for its new HQ

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.David Ryder/Getty

Amazon has sparked a bidding war, and it’s only just beginning.

The ecommerce giant said on Thursday that it was soliciting bids from cities across North America for a place to build its second headquarters — its first outside of the Seattle area.

Amazon said it would be investing $5 billion in the construction of its new headquarters, and it hopes to eventually house 50,000 Amazon staff there, gradually building up its workforce over time.

“We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters,” CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement. “Amazon HQ2 will bring billions of dollars in up-front and ongoing investments, and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. We’re excited to find a second home.”

Unsurprisingly, cities across the United States and Canada are jumping on the opportunity to lure Amazon to their neck of the woods. Many officials have already said they’re planning to submit a formal proposal to the company.

Amazon has some requirements, however. Its new home would ideally be in a city with at least a million people, an international airport, and a “stable and business friendly environment.”

Of course, that means cities will need to offer incentives to the company in order for it to move there.

“Incentives offered by the state/province and local communities to offset initial capital outlay and ongoing operational costs will be significant factors in the decision-making process,” the company said.

We’ve found nearly 50 cities whose officials have said they are looking into or preparing to submit a proposal to Amazon. Bids are due October 19.