USW-­‐29

 |  IN-­‐SECTION  URBAN  POLICY  DEBATE  |  FALL  2019    

 
Hello  Everyone:    
 
In  section  on  4/11  and  4/12  we  will  have  a  critical  policy  debate  which  confronts  some  of  the  
issues  covered  in  lecture,  section  discussion  and  the  course  readings.  We  expect  to  be  joined  by  
Professor  Krieger  in  each  section,  who  will  play  the  role  of  Jeff  Bezos.  Your  task  is  to  represent  
the  city  to  which  you  are  assigned.  This  is  an  exercise  in  the  fundamental  political  skill  of  learning  
to  see  a  strategy  from  someone  else's  perspective.  Only  at  the  end  of  the  section  will  you  be  
encouraged  to  share  your  personal  thoughts  on  the  debate  topic.    
 
If  you  are  in  either  of  the  2:30-­‐3:30PM  sections,  we  will  meet  in  CGIS  South  S020.  All  other  
sections  will  meet  in  your  regularly  scheduled  section  room.      
 
 
The  debate  will  focus  on  the  national  conversation  surrounding  the  location  of  a  second  
headquarters  for  Amazon  (HQ2).  For  the  purposes  of  our  debate  in  section,  we  will  assume  that  
Amazon  has  organized  a  “listening  session”  at  its  corporate  headquarters  in  Seattle.  You  will  be  
tasked  with  representing  one  of  the  cities  invited  to  participate  in  the  session.  For  the  purposes  
of  the  debate,  we  will  also  assume  that  Amazon  will  continue  with  plans  to  open  a  new  
headquarters  in  Washington,  DC  and  continues  to  be  interested  in  opening  a  third  site  now  that  
it  has  decided  not  to  expand  to  New  York.    
 
The  different  cities  to  be  represented  at  the  debate  include:  New  York  City,  Nashville,  Detroit,  
Seattle,  and  Washington  DC/Arlington  County  Virginia.    
 
There  are  countless  articles  online  that  discuss  the  national  debate  regarding  the  location  of  
Amazon  HQ2.  You’ll  want  to  begin  by  learning  more  about  the  national  conversation  and  
familiarizing  yourself  with  Amazon’s  stated  expectations  for  HQ2.  Next,  familiarize  yourself  with  
the  specific  proposal  and  various  constraints  facing  the  metropolitan  area  to  which  you  are  
assigned  to  represent.  For  all  cities  except  Seattle,  you  will  want  to  access  the  city’s  official  
bid/statement  (or  what  of  it  is  publically  available).    
 
Each  group  will  need  to  develop  a  position  based  on  the  particular  issues  facing  the  city  
represented,  and  you  are  strongly  encouraged  to  browse  local  newspapers  and  other  media  
outlets  for  the  city  to  which  you  are  assigned  –  what  is  the  local  debate  surrounding  HQ2?  Does  
there  appear  to  be  broad  public  support  for  the  city’s  bid?  Or  is  there  criticism  or  debate  
regarding  specific  elements  of  the  city’s  attempt  to  capture  HQ2?  Are  the  city  and  state  
collaborating  on  the  bid?  How  far  are  they  willing  to  go  in  terms  of  tax  incentives  and  other  
offers?  What  is  the  condition  of  the  specific  site  being  proposed  for  Amazon?  What  would  
landing  HQ2  mean  for  the  city  in  question?  And,  aside  from  the  Amazon  proposal,  what  are  
some  of  the  biggest  issues  facing  the  city  today?    
 
If  you  are  assigned  to  represent  Seattle,  familiarize  yourself  with  how  Amazon  has  expanded  in  
the  metro  area  and  what  the  implications  have  been.  Is  Amazon  a  good  neighbor?  Who  has  the  
upper  hand  –  the  city  or  Amazon?  What  are  lessons  for  the  new  HQ2  sites?  If  you  are  
representing  New  York  City,  be  prepared  to  explain  why  and  how  the  project  died,  including  the  
role  of  protestors  and  local  politicians.  On  which  side  did/does  public  opinion  fall?  For  
Washington  D.C.  (technically  Crystal  City  in  Arlington  County,  Virginia),  be  prepared  to  defend  
the  incentive  package  you  have  offered  to  Amazon.  Is  it  really  worth  it?  Or  do  you,  too,  have  
regrets  regarding  the  package  as  initially  offered?  If  you  are  representing  Detroit,  determine  if  
you  still  think  the  incentive  package  initially  extended  to  Amazon  is  worthwhile.  Why  should  
Amazon  redirect  its  attention  from  NYC  to  the  Midwest?  How  does  a  cash-­‐strapped  city  and  
state  justify  extending  such  a  lucrative  offer  to  a  company  like  Amazon?  And  finally,  if  you  are  
tasked  to  represent  Nashville,  consider  the  city’s  surprise  win  for  Amazon’s  new  “Operations  
Center  of  Excellence.”  Was  this  a  “win”  or  ultimately  a  snub  –  a  failure  to  land  the  more  
lucrative  corporate  jobs  promised  by  HQ2?  Do  you  still  support  the  $100+  million  incentive  
package  extended  to  Amazon?  What  does  this  suggest  for  the  future  of  your  city?    
 
Do  not  come  to  class  unprepared;  spend  time  familiarizing  yourself  with  the  city  you  are  tasked  
to  represent.  Develop  a  well-­‐reasoned  argument  supported  by  (real)  facts,  statistics,  stories,  
images,  etc.  There  is  not  necessarily  a  correct  answer.  For  example,  if  you  are  representing  
Washington  DC  your  team  may  collectively  decide  that,  in  light  of  recent  events,  the  initial  
package  offered  to  Amazon  was  too  generous.  Or  perhaps  you’ll  agree  to  stand  by  it.  If  you  are  
representing  NYC,  you  may  wish  to  focus  on  the  criticism  of  the  Amazon  deal  that  ultimately  
derailed  HQ2,  OR  perhaps  recommit  to  the  initial  plan  in  the  interest  of  the  city  and  state  and  
ask  for  reconsideration.  The  ultimate  goal  of  this  exercise  is  to  unpack  the  complexity  of  the  
HQ2  debate,  and  how  it  relates  to  issues  ranging  from  tax  incentives  and  urban  development  to  
industrial  decline  and  the  promise  of  urban  regeneration.  Part  of  your  task  is  to  draw  out  this  
complexity  through  your  team’s  position  during  the  debate.  At  the  end,  we  will  open  up  the  
floor  to  a  broader  conversation  about  corporate  influence  and  urban  development.    
 
You  will  have  10  minutes  to  develop  a  strategy  for  the  debate  with  your  partner(s)  at  the  
beginning  of  the  section.  There  is  no  need  to  meet  up  as  a  group  beforehand,  but  please  
prepare!  You  will  receive  an  email  from  your  TF  with  your  city  assignment  for  the  debate.