GARY - The city of Gary is vying to get the new Amazon headquarters to locate there. Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson told Lakeshore Public Radio on Monday the city is reaching out to try to make it happen.
"We had an open letter in the New York Times today to Jeff Bezos from Amazon, citing our interest in the new Amazon headquarters."
Freeman-Wilson said Amazon released an RFP (request for proposal) a couple of weeks ago indicating that the company is looking for new headquarters in the U.S. She believes the city put out a good pitch for Gary and all of the Region.
"We believe made the case for Gary and Northwest Indiana, having the Indiana business climate, the positive Indiana business climate with the Chicagoland amenities. And so it's not just a Gary opportunity, it's a real Northwest Indiana opportunity."
Freeman-Wilson said the company is looking for a location close to universities and said the Gary location would be ideal because not only is there access to IU and Purdue, but the company would also have easy access to students from the University of Chicago, Northwestern and the University of Illinois.
"And we think that someone is willing to look at the SMSA, which we believe they should and will, then we can put together a very competitive application here in the city of Gary."
Freeman-Wilson said more information on the new Amazon headquarters could materialize possibly later this year or early next year. The city is working with the Northwest Indiana Forum and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
