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And I would argue that, yes, they would. More and more Amazon Distribution centers are being opened up. I know of 2 offhand from my location within an hour eac

And I would argue that, yes, they would. More and more Amazon Distribution centers are being opened up. I know of 2 offhand from my location within an hour each direction. I don't know exactly how big the facilities are, but I do know they're massive. I also know that they 'process' workers horrendously. Timed bathroom breaks, quick firing over trivial matters. In essence, they make walmart look like a saint with regards to employer practices. Worse yet, the communities fight crazily over getting that Amazon warehouse. 10 year tax abatements are only the beginning of the 'bargains' made on the taxpayers' backs. Donated land is another gimmie, as is subsidy of city-related services. All this is on the hopes that workers will pay tax. And it amounts to a bad deal for everyone, well, except for Amazon.

closeparen 9y ago
Sure, but warehouses are placed such that they can revert to open fields rather than leaving craters in city centers.
- crankylinuxuser 9y ago
  True, the warehouses can be re-greened. But what the Walmarts and warehouses and these kinds of businesses do, is destroy the local businesses. And when the walmarts shutter or move away, or when the factories close, what are we left with? We're left with few local businesses, higher unemployment, and a dying community.
  - closeparen 9y ago
    If retail is the economic backbone of a community, it’s screwed anyway.
jessaustin 9y ago
Oh sure it's stupid to give Amazon incentives for warehouse locations. (If only there were a higher-level entity that could govern the short-sighted actions of municipalities so that they could coexist in a more prosperous state...) The point is that the warehouses they're getting aren't white elephants like old malls are. A warehouse doesn't need a huge utilities build-out, and it doesn't require a valuable location. Warehouses will always be needed, and as long as Amazon owns them they'll have up-to-date tech.

closeparen 9y ago

Sure, but warehouses are placed such that they can revert to open fields rather than leaving craters in city centers.

crankylinuxuser 9y ago
True, the warehouses can be re-greened. But what the Walmarts and warehouses and these kinds of businesses do, is destroy the local businesses. And when the walmarts shutter or move away, or when the factories close, what are we left with? We're left with few local businesses, higher unemployment, and a dying community.
- closeparen 9y ago
  If retail is the economic backbone of a community, it’s screwed anyway.

jessaustin 9y ago

Oh sure it's stupid to give Amazon incentives for warehouse locations. (If only there were a higher-level entity that could govern the short-sighted actions of municipalities so that they could coexist in a more prosperous state...) The point is that the warehouses they're getting aren't white elephants like old malls are. A warehouse doesn't need a huge utilities build-out, and it doesn't require a valuable location. Warehouses will always be needed, and as long as Amazon owns them they'll have up-to-date tech.