- Multiple City Council members questioned the importance of its inclusion, said it appeared out of touch with New Yorkers, or cited it as reason why the company's tax incentives were unnecessary.
- "The only transportation aspect of this project is a helipad," Corey Johnson, speaker of the council, said during his opening remarks.
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'Do you realize how out of touch that seems?': NYC lawmakers rail against Amazon for HQ2 helipad demand in heated hearing (AMZN)
A provision for a helipad to be attached to Amazon's New York City HQ2 project became a focus during a City Council hearing on Wednesday.
Protesters were at the hearing, making their opinions on the deal known.
New York City Council is not happy with Amazon.
In a public hearing about the company's HQ2 project on Wednesday, members of the economic development committee peppered Amazon executives Brian Huseman, vice president of public policy, and Holly Sullivan, head of worldwide economic development, with questions.
Many of the questions mentioned what the members saw as a questionable inclusion of a provision for a helipad to be built as part of the project. The helipad was included in the memorandum of understanding that stands as an agreement for Amazon to start planning part of its HQ2 project in Long Island City, Queens. The provision was also included in Amazon's agreement with Northern Virginia, where it will build the other half of its HQ2.
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Multiple City Council members questioned the importance of its inclusion, said it appeared out of touch with New Yorkers, or cited it as reason why the company's tax incentives were unnecessary.
"The only transportation aspect of this project is a helipad," Corey Johnson, speaker of the council, said during his opening remarks, relating it to a lack of promises from Amazon to fund transit projects. "So yes, Jeff Bezos' commute is all set. But what about the rest of New Yorkers?"
In council member Jimmy Van Bramer's opening remarks, he cited "Bezos' damn helipad" as evidence that the city had given too much and not asked for enough in return.
Later in the hearing, Johnson asked Huseman why Amazon felt it needed to add the helipad provision into the memorandum.
Huseman responded by saying Amazon will be funding the construction of the helipad, neither he nor any member of Amazon's senior team commutes by helicopter, and Amazon's Seattle headquarters does not have a helipad.
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The helipad provision was added, according to Huseman, because the company wanted to "look to the future" and have the provision in place for a later time.
Johnson responded: "Do you realize how out of touch that seems for the average New Yorker?"
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