West Palm Beach Mayor Crafts Open Letter to Jeff Bezos After Amazon HQ2 Announcement

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Feb. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Citing a less-than-favorable business climate and pulling out of its HQ2 plan in New York City, Amazon.com, Inc. has received an "Open Letter" from Dr. Jeri Muoio, Mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida offering a much warmer business climate. Mayor Muoio informed the world's leading online retailer that the city – dubbed, "The Wall Street of the South" by Newsweek Magazine – has been attracting more and more businesses away from New York in recent years.

Mayor Muoio underscores the fact that much of the City's economic growth and resurgent prosperity has been fueled by a steady stream of businesses migrating from the Northeast United States. These businesses consider, then relocate to West Palm Beach, a City that positions itself as "Business. Life. Balanced."

"We're inviting Amazon to consider a location that's hospitable, open, and welcoming to businesses," said Mayor Muoio. "We used the letter to highlight many of the attractive aspects that drive businesses to consider relocating to West Palm Beach, such as no state income tax, and no tax on business inventories."

West Palm Beach has seen an economic resurgence in recent years. Always one of Florida's most beautiful, relaxed and refined resort communities, the City has seen its unemployment rate drop from nearly 9 percent to 3 – a full point lower than the national average. In the last five years, job growth has risen 20 percent, more than double the national average. The City has established a dedicated financial district, and has aggressively targeted businesses and financial firms in the Northeast to consider relocating to an environment that offers not only one of America's best lifestyles, but also a very welcoming, pro-business climate. With an educated workforce, international airport, port and interstate, the City has the infrastructure needed for businesses like Amazon.

"Amazon's move should make others sit up and take notice," said Mayor Muoio. "It's best to relocate your business to a city that will support your goals and position you for even greater success. And that city is West Palm Beach."

For a copy of the Mayor's Letter, click here.

For information about the City's incentives to businesses, click here.

For a short video inviting business to West Palm Beach, click here.

ABOUT WEST PALM BEACH, FL
Located in the State of Florida, West Palm Beach is the Governmental Seat of Palm Beach County, and within the 8^th largest SMSA in the nation. Positioning itself as "Business. Life. Balanced." the City offers a decidedly pro-business environment combined with an enriching lifestyle filled with the arts, events, and unlimited sports and recreation. It has been described by Forbes Magazine as, "One of the Top 25 Cities in America to do Business."

Media Contact:
Kathleen Walter
Director of Communications, City of West Palm Beach
561-822-1411
[email protected]

SOURCE The City of West Palm Beach