INNOVATIONH O U S T O N

C O R R I D O R

We are a city that chooses to take humankind’s boldest challenges head-on. We’ve grown, innovated and pioneered advancements in many fields of human endeavor. Along the way, we’ve attracted energetic people from around the world and built a vibrant city that provides opportunity, recreation and community for all who share our vision. Still, we choose to measure ourselves on what we do next.

Houston invites Amazon to partner with us in charting new frontiers to change the world.

H O U S T O N A C C E P T E D A N E X T R A O R D I N A R Y C H A L L E N G E F R O M O U R N A T I O N A N D W E D E L I V E R E D .

55Y E A R S A G O

WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON IN THIS DECADE AND DO THE OTHER

THINGS, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD,

BECAUSE THAT GOAL WILL SERVE TO ORGANIZE AND MEASURE THE BEST

OF OUR ENERGIES AND SKILLS, BECAUSE THAT CHALLENGE IS ONE THAT

WE ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT, ONE WE ARE UNWILLING TO POSTPONE,

AND ONE WHICH WE INTEND TO WIN.

P R E S I D E N T J O H N F . K E N N E D Y

R I C E U N I V E R S I T Y , H O U S T O N , S E P T E M B E R 1 2 , 1 9 6 2

“

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Throughout Houston’s journey, transformational ideas, driven by visionary leaders, have pushed boundaries. A man on the moon, the artificial heart and high-tech energy – to name a few. Tomorrow’s challenges present tremendous opportunity – incredible problem-sets that converge in Houston across key sectors: energy, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and space.

As a company looking 10, 20, 30 years down the road with a mission to change the world, Amazon will not find a more able and willing partner than Houston. We share your drive to embrace big, audacious opportunities with a can-do spirit and a passion to get things done.

Houston is America’s most ethnically diverse city. We are unabashedly pro-growth and opportunity-rich, fueled by innovators and America’s youngest workforce. We offer a highly-educated pool of STEM talent drawn from around the world, infused with the city’s get-it-done mentality. We care for our neighbors and strive to create opportunity for all.

With superior global access, a prime climate for doing business, a low cost of living, and a superb quality of life, Houston has the elements in place today to fuel our shared vision of sustainable growth and transformational innovation in the decades to come.

Your timing couldn’t be better. Our community is actively working to achieve our grand vision of becoming a top innovation hub in the next five years. Best of all, we have alignment – a shared

mindset across the business community, tech leaders and policy-makers – and a plan to make it happen.

Amazon is invited to locate at the geographic convergence of our innovation ecosystem – Houston’s Innovation Corridor. Extending from Rice University and the Texas Medical Center through Midtown and Downtown Houston, the Innovation Corridor is linked by light-rail and walkable neighborhoods. The Corridor features some of the city’s best green spaces, universities, bike paths, sports and cultural amenities, nightlife, and housing. It’s home to some of Houston’s largest companies along with an emerging startup scene.

Houston is prepared to offer sites in the Innovation Corridor that range from contiguous developable blocks to an entire building ready to be repurposed as the launch pad for Amazon HQ2. We are also offering an attractive incentive package including cash incentives, tax abatements, and inducements.

Houston and Amazon are kindred spirits. We focus on getting results, not credit.

As the original city of disruption, we invite Amazon and your tenacious drive to join us in Houston.

HOUSTONW H E R E I N D U S T R Y &

I N N O V A T I O N C O N V E R G E

W E T H I N K B I G , T H E N W E D O I T .

INNOVATION CORRIDOR

A M A Z O N ’ S H O M E I N H O U S T O N ’ S

Amazon’s HQ2 will sit at the center of an extraordinarily powerful social and economic convergence. Linked by light-rail, bike lanes, and sidewalks to Houston’s four-mile-long Innovation Corridor, the campus offers easy access to key industry and institutional players and an unparalleled array of amenities.

Anchored on the south by the world’s largest medical complex, the Texas Medical Center along with top-ranked Rice University, the Corridor runs north along Houston’s light-rail line through the 700-acre Hermann Park, and Museum District. It continues past the eclectic Montrose neighborhood and through Midtown, home to a millennial-friendly mix of housing, dining and recreational options. The Corridor reaches its northern limit in Downtown, the nexus of corporate headquarters, financial institutions and professional service firms, and a wide variety of cultural and recreational amenities.

The Corridor also features professional sports, countless museums, numerous parks and greenspaces, one of the largest theater districts in the country and a highly-acclaimed restaurant and nightlife scene. With proximity to a wide range of housing options, the Corridor already attracts top talent from around the globe.

The Corridor is open for development, with numerous blocks available – including large contiguous tracts in Midtown and Downtown that could be considered separately or as part of a single, extended campus.

Simply put, the world converges in Houston and its Innovation Corridor. By partnering with us, Amazon will have access and new opportunities to change the world.

D O W N T O W N H O U S T O N

Home to many of Houston’s most prominent companies, Downtown is also one of the country’s most dynamic mixed-use urban centers with an incredible fusion of historic and contemporary infrastructure, convenient transit options, convention and sports venues, an active cultural and arts scene, fine dining and shopping, and thriving residential communities in both mid-rise and high-rise settings.

M I D T O W N D I S T R I C T

The Midtown District is a dense, walkable residential neighborhood in the very heart of Houston. Midtown features countless restaurants, wine bars and beer gardens with a millennial-focused mix of housing options all centered around the light-rail and the new Midtown Park.

M O N T R O S E

The Montrose neighborhood features an eclectic mix of tree-covered bungalows and coffee shops with a counter-culture vibe that surprises some outsiders, but is one that is uniquely Houston.

M U S E U M D I S T R I C T

The Houston Museum District is one of the largest in the country, with 19 world-class museums set within blocks of each other, including fine arts, modern art, natural science and the renowned Menil Collection.

T E X A S M E D I C A L C E N T E R

Home to 58 premier clinical, research and education institutions, the world’s largest medical center features biotech business accelerators, including the Texas Medical Center’s TMCx and Johnson & Johnson’s JLABS, which provide networks to advance the development of technology companies and hasten commercialization.

C A M P U S E S F O R T E C H S T A R T - U P S

Houston’s Innovation Corridor is also home to two of Houston’s most exciting hubs for tech startups and innovation: Station Houston and Houston Exponential. Station Houston hosts 262 member companies and Houston Exponential is the hub and catalyst for a growing community of startup ventures.

H E R M A N N P A R K A N D T H E H O U S T O N Z O O

Houston’s Hermann Park is an expansive 700-acre greenspace, home to the “always free” Miller Outdoor Theatre, the McGovern Centennial Gardens, the Houston Zoo and extensive jogging trails.

M E T R O R A I L ( L I G H T - R A I L )

Houston’s METRORail Red Line runs the length of the Innovation Corridor and links HQ2 to Downtown, Midtown, the Museum District, Rice University, and the Texas Medical Center. It also connects to METRO’s Green and Purple Lines, which extend to the University of Houston and the historic East End.

R I C E U N I V E R S I T Y

Ranked as one of the country’s top national universities, Rice’s graduate school includes the highly-ranked Jones School of Business and the George. R. Brown School of Engineering.

U N I V E R S I T Y O F H O U S T O N ( U H )

A premier Tier One public university with more than 43,000 students, UH is one of the most diverse in the country and is home to Energy Research Park, a 70-acre complex dedicated to innovation and industry partnerships.

T E X A S S O U T H E R N U N I V E R S I T Y

Nestled upon a sprawling 150-acre campus in Houston’s historic Third Ward, Texas Southern University is one of the nation’s largest historically black universities.

H O U S T O N C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E ( H C C )

HCC’s Central Campus is one of 14 “Centers of Excellence,” recognized for preparing students for their careers. HCC proactively partners with area employers to develop curricula and programs that match future hiring needs.

I N N O V A T I O N C O R R I D O R O V E R V I E W

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DOWNTOWNDOWNTOWN

HOUSTONZOO

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UNIVERSITY

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MIDTOWN

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UNIVERSITYOF ST. THOMAS

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LEGEND

METRORail Red Line

METRORail Purple Line

METRORail Green Line

Houston is fun and affordable, lending itself to a great quality of life. We have one of the youngest, fastest growing, and most diverse populations anywhere in the world. Our eclectic, culture-filled neighborhoods, restaurants and attractions offer diverse flavors that can only be found here.

The Innovation Corridor is the epicenter of what Houston has to offer, and Amazonians will find it is the perfect place to work hard and enjoy life.

Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E I N H O U S T O N ’ S

INNOVATIONC O R R I D O R

Y O U N G

D I V E R S E

E C L E C T I C

Houston is home to key global industries teeming with challenge and opportunity: energy, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and space.

These are sectors ripe for disruption, representing some of the richest opportunity sets for Amazon and its innovators. Houston is the only

city in the country where these industries converge. The sheer volumes of data that stream from these sectors is incredible, and the access

Houston provides to leverage this data into game-changing solutions is unparalleled. Proximity is key and all of the players are here.

P R O X I M I T Y I S K E Y

HOUSTONW H E R E I N D U S T R Y &

I N N O V A T I O N C O N V E R G E

H O U S T O N I S T H E O N L Y C I T Y I N T H E C O U N T R Y W H E R E T H E S E I N D U S T R I E S C O N V E R G E . P R O X I M I T Y I S K E Y A N D A L L O F T H E P L A Y E R S A R E H E R E – A M A Z O N H Q 2 W I L L S I T A T T H E N U C L E U S O F O U R C I T Y , I N D I R E C T C O N V E R G E N C E W I T H :

A M E R I C A ’ S T O P M A N U F A C T U R I N GC I T Y

If it can be made, it can be made in Houston. Ranked as America’s top manufacturing city by Manufacturers’ News for eight consecutive years, we have the talent, technology and infrastructure to get the job done. With the company’s penchant for leveraging data to drive operational excellence along with your work in AI and automation, Amazon will find ample traction here.

A L E A D I N G G L O B A L L O G I S T I C S H U B

With extensive land, air and sea connections, Houston is a key logistics hub and the gateway to the Americas and beyond. Here, Amazon HQ2 will sit at the nexus of global trade, offering tremendous opportunity for the company to disrupt this industry on a global scale.

S P A C E 2 . 0

Houston’s aerospace roots are reflected in the critical mass of engineers, programmers and technical specialists capable of leading the next generation of space exploration, drone technologies, cutting-edge research facilities and product testing. America’s space dreams launched at Rice University in our Innovation Corridor and continue just 25 minutes away at the Johnson Space Center as the ecosystem embraces the race for Space 2.0.

T H E E N E R G Y C A P I T A L O F T H E W O R L D

We are the city of energy entrepreneurs and wildcatters, uniquely positioned to provide a highly-qualified pipeline of talent to solve the world’s energy challenges. We’re applying data-driven analytics to improve efficiencies at the well head and pioneering advancements in robotics, battery technology and carbon sequestration. Amazonians can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with energy’s leading experts and engineers to forge a sustainable course for our economy and the planet.

T H E W O R L D ’ S L A R G E S T M E D I C A L C E N T E R

Houston is home to the largest collection of healthcare and life science institutions in the world – the Texas Medical Center. TMC is home to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine, among 55 other premier training, research and clinical institutions. It is the eighth largest business district in the U.S., employing more than 106,000 people. This high-density community and its developments are saving lives. Together, we can harness the power of digital health to further improve patient outcomes and lower the cost of healthcare delivery for all.

Amazon will find the skilled talent it needs in Houston, which is America’s most diverse city and features a well-educated, STEM-focused workforce.

The city is home to nationally ranked university campuses and graduate schools, including three Tier One Universities – Rice University, University of Houston and Texas A&M University. It’s also important to remember that the University of Texas at Austin is just 2.5 hours away.

As a company in the business of industry disruption, Amazon can partner with the technical engineers and talent in our “legacy” industries to drive innovation forward. Houston is home to 240,000 STEM specialists

TOP TALENTF R O M A R O U N D T H E W O R L D

and consistently ranks first or second as the top city for the number of STEM workers and the highest concentration of engineers.

While not traditionally considered a computer and software development powerhouse, the fact is Houston is home to 97,500 computer engineers and programmers. This figure ranks Houston eleventh in the country and 50 percent more than Austin, which is conventionally perceived as a ‘tech-forward’ city.

Houston is also a talent attraction magnet. Ranked as a top city for attracting millennials, no major metro attracts more baccalaureate-degreed professionals, on a per-capita basis, than Houston.

The New York Times calls Houston “America’s Most Diverse City.” Houston has no ethnic majority and welcomes people from around the world. One-in-four Houstonians was born outside of the United States.

It has been said that in terms of racial and ethnic composition, the Houston of today resembles what America will look like in 40 years.

As the energy capital of the world and home to the some of the largest global corporations, Houstonians are comfortable working with global teams. As a global city, more than 145 languages are spoken here. In fact, four-in-ten Houstonians speak a language other than

English at home. This is a fact that shows up in the Houston Independent School District’s dual-language programs that offer immersive-instruction in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, and several other languages.

There is a richness to the fabric of Houston you will not find in many other cities. You will discover that Houstonians have a sense of shared community, commitment and mutual respect that many American cities are searching for today.

As Amazon seeks to diversify and expand its ranks at the executive, manager and professional levels, there is no better place to locate than Houston.

Houston MSA,

2016U.S.A.,

2060

36.8% 28.6%

36.9%

16.9%

7.6%

1.8%

43.6%

13.0%

9.1%

5.7%

Population Distribution

Hispanic

White

Black

Asian

Other

DIVERSEA M E R I C A ’ S M O S T

C I T Y

F O S T E R I N G H O U S T O N ’ S

STARTUP ECOSYSTEMWhile a center of corporate and institutional innovation in areas such as energy, space, and life sciences, Houston has lagged in VC-backed startup activity.

Over the last few years, this paradigm has started to shift. Leveraging Houston’s large supply of young talent and our community’s entrepreneurial mindset, a host of accelerators and co-working spaces have launched including Station Houston, TMCx, JLABS @ TMC, AT&T Foundry, University of Houston’s RED Labs, Rice’s Owl Spark and Fannin Innovation Studio. These hubs of innovation are creating momentum and building density for more startups.

Station Houston, for example, is focused on bringing diverse elements of Houston’s innovation ecosystem together under one roof to help launch high-impact, high-growth companies. Station Houston has already attracted over 260 startups, accelerators and incubators into its fold.

Houston technology and civic leaders also brought several organizations together recently to form Houston Exponential (HX). HX will service as a hub, catalyst and champion for the startup community with a focus on three cross-vertical themes: robotics, industrial IoT and cybersecurity. HX recently announced the formation of the HX Venture Fund, a fund of funds to help attract more VC capital and investor interest to Houston.

Whether it’s moving people or products, Houston will be Amazon’s gateway to the Americas and the world. Positioned equidistant to the east and west coasts, we provide easy access to every major city in the U.S. We also offer the most flights of any U.S. city to Mexico and direct access to Latin America.

Amazonians can fly internationally from our two airports – both within 25 minutes of Amazon HQ2. Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby (HOU) Airports serve daily non-stop flights to more than 190 destinations and direct flights to 69 international cities.

T H E G A T E W A Y T O

COMMERCE

A U S T R A L I A , C A N A D A , C H I N A ,

F R A N C E , G E R M A N Y, J A P A N , M E X I C O &

T H E U N I T E D K I N G D O M

H O U S T O N O F F E R S D I R E C T F L I G H T S T O 8 O F A M A Z O N ’ S 1 1 G L O B A L M A R K E T P L A C E S

Houston will also be the southern terminus of the Texas Central Railway, the privately-financed high speed rail line currently under development that will connect Houston and Dallas with a 90-minute commute.

And with the Port of Houston being America’s number one export seaport, and with ample rail and highway access, Houston is the perfect conduit to move both goods and people.

B U S I N E S S C L I M A T E

G R E A T

Through pro-growth policy, smart regulation and a favorable tax regime, Texas has emerged as the premier state for expansion and relocation. We are a right-to-work state and have no corporate or personal income tax.

The City of Houston has set priorities of its own to support growth and innovation. The City has no local minimum wage, permitting is fast and friendly, and the cost of doing business in Houston is well-below the U.S. major metro average.

Because of our business-friendly climate, Houston has emerged as one of the nation’s preeminent centers for corporate headquarters and back office facilities.

Twenty Fortune 500 companies call Houston home. Between 2010 and 2016, greater Houston grew by more than 850,000 people to 6.7 million, and the regional economy (real GDP) grew by 18.7 percent.

A P R E M I E R S TAT E

Houston offers Amazon a place at the heart of our Innovation Corridor that will drive convergence and creative collisions across key industries while attracting the technical and business graduates the company depends on. Through our partnership, world-changing breakthroughs will continue to emerge from this unique geographic intersection of science- and technology-driven industries, disruptive innovation and pro-growth policies. Our doors are wide open. We invite Amazon to step through and join us in Houston.

O U R D O O R S A R E W I D E O P E N .