Tourism Winnipeg

WHY WINNIPEG? 1. Winnipeg is at the geographic centre of North America. As one of the world's leading logistics and distribution companies, that means something. The city is a short direct flight to most major North American cities and is connected to three oceans and the Gulf of Mexico by direct rail links. Winnipeg is also home to a large concentration of trucking companies including several of Canada's largest fleets. 2. Amazon already knows Winnipeg. Home to Amazon company Thinkbox, the city has more than 18,400 IT workers now and hosts vibrant aerospace and biotech sectors. 3. Amazon loves frugality and there were few other cities that gave us the kinds of cost savings that Winnipeg did. It has among the lowest hydro electric rates in North America (important for running offices, and vital for heating and cooling AWS operations). When we did the math, the Winnipeg location showed the potential to save hundreds of millions of dollars on an annual basis. 4. While our Seattle employees may love the condo they bought last year for $395,000, their Winnipeg colleagues will be living in a detached home for more than $100,000 less. Some may enjoy kicking back on the beach or at the cottage an hour away. All of them will love the 20-minute commute and 2,372 annual hours of sunshine. WHAT ELSE TIPPED THE BAL ANCE TOWARDS WINNIPEG? With Winnipeg we found a civic partner who truly understood our Day 1 philosophy. The city and province established a joint special office dedicated to providing Amazon with concierge-style services for site selection, planning, permitting and recruiting. That office functioned as a critical part of our decision-making as it became clear the city was going to help us expedite the entire process. HOW WILL THIS STRATEGICALLY IMPACT AMA ZON'S BUSINESS? Amazon's long-term mission is to be the world's most consumer-centric company. To achieve that goal, we feel strongly that we need to set down roots in other countries. Having some corporate functions located in jurisdictions outside the United States symbolizes our mission to make Amazon a truly global company. Canada is close to home, making travel and communications seamless. It is also a jurisdiction with friendly relations globally, a top-rated education system and a highly respected immigration system that draws talent from around the world. Additionally, Winnipeg offers Amazon a gateway to the north. The city is already a main staging area for shipping to Arctic regions. And its northern latitude gives it relatively short air links to northern Europe and Asia. Locating our second corporate headquarters in Winnipeg helps insulate the company against dangers of natural and other disasters. WHAT WILL THE CAMPUS LOOK LIKE? Winnipeg pitched us two campus options: downtown or the University of Manitoba. Both included an airport extension. The Downtown Campus plan features millions of sq. ft. of office space spread through a mix of seven heritage buildings and new LEED certified high-rises. The buildings are connected by an all-weather walkway except the airport extension which is a 15-minute drive away. The downtown campus is well served by transit and bike paths. The University of Manitoba Campus is a greenfield option of up to several million square feet of office space in the city's south end. It features 12 buildings in the university's SmartPark, home to research labs and businesses. The campus is nestled in a bend in the Red River, is served by rapid transit and is surrounded by leafy neighbourhoods featuring condos, detached homes, restaurants and shopping. It is a 25-minute drive to the airport extension. WHAT CAN WE DO IN WINNIPEG? Winnipeg has long been known as having a vibrant music and arts scene. Major festivals and top touring music acts fill the calendar. Recent concerts included Miranda Lambert, Deadmau5, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roger Waters, Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber and Kanye West. Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet is one of the most famous ballet companies in the world. The city is home to the NHL's Winnipeg Jets, the AHL's Manitoba Moose and the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Its minor league baseball team, the Winnipeg Goldeyes, won the American Association's championship this year. A M A Z O N P R O P O S A L 13

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