Amazon just revealed the top 20 contenders for its new headquarters — here are their incredible proposals (AMZN)

Amazon has narrowed its search for the site of its next headquarters, dubbed HQ2, to 20 cities.
The list of candidates includes Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Denver.
The company said it will make a final decision this year.

Amazon has waded through 238 proposals from cities across North America that are eager to become the home of its new headquarters, HQ2.

On Thursday, the company announced that it has reduced the list to 20 finalists, which includes Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, DC, and New York City.

In the next few months, Amazon will be working with these locations to investigate the bids in more detail before making a decision. Late last year, the company outlined several requirements for cities, including access to an international airport, a population of more than one million, and a "stable and business-friendly environment."

For the new headquarters, Amazon said it plans to invest over $5 billion and accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs, making it one of the largest corporate-civic giveaways in modern American history.

Take a look at the winning proposals below.

Atlanta, Georgia

Possible sites: A 120-acre site that includes railroads and parking lots in Downtown Atlanta has been named as the city's primary site for HQ2, sources told The Atlantic Business Chronicle.

Population: 472,522

Nearest international airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Notable universities: Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College

Economic incentives: At a recent city event, the mayor of Atlanta said the state and city are offering incentives and infrastructure improvements that would total over $1 billion.

Why Amazon could choose the city: Moody's has placed Atlanta second in the running, scoring it high on human capital and affordability.

Austin, Texas

Possible sites: The city has not confirmed which sites have been proposed. However, the Austin Business Journal reported that a local real estate developer had been considering pitching the Broadmoor Campus, which is partly occupied by IBM in the north of Austin.

Population: 947,890

Nearest international airports: Austin–Bergstrom International Airport

Notable universities: Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin

Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.

Why Amazon could choose the city: Austin is a well-known tech hub, but it has a lower cost of living than other tech cities like San Francisco and Seattle. Plus, Amazon would benefit from being close to one of its corporate offices as well as Whole Foods' headquarters.

Boston, Massachusetts

Possible sites: The city published an in-depth proposal outlining all the sites it had pitched in Boston. Its first recommendation was the Suffolk Downs racetrack between East Boston and Revere. However, three other areas were also presented around Downtown Boston and the waterfront, the South End/Back Bay area, and the Allston/Brighton area.

Population: 673,184

Nearest international airports: Logan International Airport

Notable universities: Boston University, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT, and Northeastern University

Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.

Why Amazon could choose the city: There's a good public transportation infrastructure within the city, and it's well-connected to other major cities along the East Coast.

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