By Colleen O’Connor
Forget the Chargers. Cheer for Amazon. The new team that could come here.
Think about it. Amazon has announced that it wants to build a $5 billion campus somewhere. So, why not San Diego?
Clearly, the city is interested. Every major U.S. city is interested. Even the Canadians are interested.
According to The New York Times, the only requirements are a population of over “a million people, a diverse population, good schools and malleable lawmakers.” Plus, room to accommodate up to 50,000 workers. (A small snag for our ever=crowding city).
The winner of this mega jackpot must also have on-site access to mass transit, a short commute to an international airport and easy access to a major highway; fiber optics; universities; and some “lifestyle” must-haves (i.e. cappuccino joints).
Los Angeles is planning to bid and many other cities — including Austin, Texas, Salt Lake City and Detroit — have already been mentioned as contenders. And yesterday Sacramento joined in the race. Talk about an Olympian challenge.
So, let’s think of San Diego’s possible sites and offerings. Airport, yes. Universities, yes. Diversity, check. A million-plus people, definitely. Tech talent, double yes.
So, where to put the new “campus” for this mega on-line conglomerate?
Chula Vista owns the 155 acre former McCall Olympic Training facility. Title was transferred to the City of Chula Vista from the United States Olympic Committee. Why not there? Airports abound: Lindbergh, Tijuana.
Qualcomm Stadium could still be a contender. Let’s have some competition among Soccer City enthusiasts, SDSU fans, and Amazon (among others). Why not? Throw in the NFL, too. And encourage lots of other entrants. Competition is healthy.
Open, level spaces actually exist in Otay Mesa; some parts of the back country and north county. Plus, there is ample proof of San Diego County’s talent, diversity, higher educational institutions, and high-tech and bio-tech successes. San Diego is home to more than enough of everything to snare Amazon’s new campus.
So, let’s have some fun. Join the competition. Get some practice. Cheer if we win. Cheer if we don’t. It will put the San Diego in the semi-finals of the latest U.S. High-Tech Open. Why not?
Just for the fun of it.
Colleen O’Connor is a native San Diegan and a retired college professor.