Why Dallas may be the best place for Amazon’s second headquarters

Does North Texas have a real shot at luring Amazon’s second headquarters — and up to 50,000 jobs — to the region?

It certainly appears so, at least according to a Wall Street Journal analysis published Tuesday.

Dallas ranked No. 1 out of the top 12 contenders, outpacing competitors such as Boston, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

DFW’s bid was bolstered by Texas’ lack of a state income tax and the North Texas region’s low cost of living. North Texas also has a good-sized tech labor force and college population.

Other cities fared better on attributes such as cultural fit and fiscal health. But Dallas emerged at the top, based on an aggregate rank of the criteria.

Also, the availability of mass transportation appeared to not be a factor in the Wall Street Journal analysis, even though transit was mentioned in Amazon’s criteria. Although Dallas has a comprehensive bus and light-rail system, the Dallas-Fort Worth region is often criticized for its lack of alternatives to the automobile.

In October, North Texas leaders banded together to submit a joint proposal to Amazon, identifying multiple properties in Fort Worth, Grapevine, Dallas and other area cities where a corporate headquarters could be built.

This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Why Dallas may be the best place for Amazon’s second headquarters."