Introduction • • • [P1] We get it. The world’s most innovative company isn’t just looking for a city that checks a few boxes. You’re not looking for a city that can simply promise a site, or a building, or brandish a commitment that all the puzzle pieces are in place and just waiting for your arrival. No – you’re looking for a partner that can serve as an incubator for shaping transformational ideas. You’re looking for a city that looks to the future and asks, “How can we identify the solutions of the future, rather than simply making incremental changes to those that have been tried for decades.” If you were simply a box checker, we wouldn’t be the place for you. But if you’re looking for a home that will match your desire to test innovative ideas and implement radical new solutions, then locating in the city the New York Times has already labeled Beta City, USA is an easy choice. o Highlights of innovative actions: ▪ Mortar board icon: In 2007, Tulsa launched the first program of its kind in the nation to provide public funding for all students in Tulsa County to obtain an Associate’s Degree at no cost. ▪ Shovel icon: In 2016, Tulsa voters approved a $10 million incentive and partnered with the George Kaiser Family Foundation to develop the Peoria Mohawk Business Park – an industrial site in north Tulsa with the distinct mission to attract a high quality employer that will provide skilled career opportunities in a historically economically depressed area of the city. ▪ Swing icon: In 2018, A Gathering Place for Tulsa will open following three years of construction. The 100-acre park stands as the largest private gift to a public park in U.S. history, funded through the combined generosity of local foundations, families, and the corporate community. The park has been deliberately designed to bring Tulsans of all walks of life together and foster an inclusive community [P2] High impact photo coupled with quote from Mayor Bynum or notable CEO o Tulsa’s past, present, and future are firmly rooted in a collective community ethos – a passion that has pushed our public, private, and philanthropic leaders to see opportunities where others saw insurmountable risk or the immovable status quo. A pride that has left us with some of the world’s greatest collections of art – whether Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan’s back-of-the-napkin scrawls, or Benjamin Franklin’s copy of the Declaration of Independence. As we look to how Tulsa will be shaped over the next century, it’s this ethos that continues to drive us, and what has pushed us to make our case to Amazon – unapologetically. What some may label as shortcomings, we passionately declare as the strengths that will propel us toward innovative solutions. While Tulsa’s history is rich with the investments that have made us who we are as a city and a people today, we know that we are only just at the base of our trajectory. And if there were ever a company committed to recognizing the potential for collaborating and accelerating transformational change, it’s Amazon. [P3] When it comes to HQ2, we understand that talent – the business of people – is your chief concern. In a knowledge-driven economy, the world’s most competitive companies are nothing without the human resources and collective knowledge and drive of their workforce. The same • is true for cities – and if there’s one thing we know Tulsa embodies, it is a commitment to developing and leveraging its human capital. So how does that translate to HQ2? We understand that if our community support systems and services aren’t directly aligned to this objective, we can’t meet your long-term needs. o Diagram – Tulsa’s Talent Continuum [P4] Using this model as our guide, we are committed to innovating at every step in order to meet Amazon’s immediate hiring needs and long-term growth plans. We recognize there is no single silver bullet to ensuring the viability of the project in any given city, but rather an accumulation of deliberate, targeted approaches that ultimately intertwine to support the creation of what will undoubtedly become a city within our city. o Vignette – In June 2017, Logistyx Technologies announced the selection of Tulsa for their new global headquarters, following an international review of potential sites. “With operations in Singapore, Amsterdam, Toronto, and throughout the United States, we had no shortage of options when determining the location of our corporate headquarters,” said Kevin V. Cox, CEO of Logistyx Technologies. “We decided upon Tulsa as the location based on the focus the state is placing on the high tech sector, the 21st century jobs program, and its central location.” o Vignette – In a May 2017 post for Entrepreneur Magazine, CEO of ConsumerAffairs and Tulsa native, Zac Carman, noted the benefits of locating tech companies in smaller markets: “In Tulsa, where ConsumerAffairs is headquartered, there are amazing resources like venture assistance programs, angel investing groups and pitch competitions. With nearly 50,000 students enrolled in colleges and universities in the Tulsa metro area, our city has an energetic and educated population, as well as plenty of skilled labor to recruit and hire. Additionally, in Oklahoma, I not only have the benefit of tax breaks but also promotional and recruiting assistance. In 2016, an entrepreneurial resource center called 36 Degrees North opened in Tulsa’s growing Brady Arts District, with financial assistance from the George Kaiser Family Foundation. With its seven conference rooms, 48 desks for rent and 10 private offices, the 11,500-square-foot space serves as a central gathering place for aspiring entrepreneurs and is a testament to the growing entrepreneurial movement here in Tulsa.” Meeting Your Immediate Talent Needs – Year 1 • [P5] You’ll need talent, and you’ll need it quickly. Here’s a quick glance at what the regional workforce offers: o Infographics: ▪ 780,000+ Number of people currently working in the broader region in relevant occupations ▪ $35.99 Average hourly earnings for relevant occupations ▪ 114,000+ Existing labor force within a 200 mile radius employed in Computer and Mathematical Occupations, including o Overview of Existing Labor in 11-County and Broader Region Avg. Hourly Earnings Median Hourly Earnings 18,932 $49.57 $43.56 13,838 $32.69 $29.69 Computer and Mathematical Occupations 9,850 $35.56 $34.02 17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations 1,860 $42.58 $40.81 23-0000 Legal Occupations Office and Administrative Support Occupations 3,102 $39.26 $31.33 37,169 $17.23 $16.42 84,750 $36.15 $32.63 2016 Jobs Avg. Hourly Earnings Median Hourly Earnings 147,162 134,756 114,672 18,550 23,222 344,494 $53.06 $32.52 $36.91 $42.23 $34.12 $17.12 782,855 $35.99 SOC Description 11-0000 13-0000 Management Occupations Business and Financial Operations Occupations 15-0000 43-0000 SOC Description 11-0000 13-0000 15-0000 17-0000 23-0000 43-0000 • Management Occupations Business and Financial Operations Occupations Computer and Mathematical Occupations Architecture and Engineering Occupations Legal Occupations Office and Administrative Support Occupations 2016 Jobs $46.49 $30.00 $35.42 $40.99 $29.29 $16.39 $33.10 [P6] Beyond those already in the labor force in occupations directly related to the positions listed within the RFP, Tulsa and the broader region provide a strong talent pipeline for recent and soon-to-be graduates. o o o Infographics: ▪ 22,837 – 2016 graduates in relevant instructional programs in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services ▪ 5,254 – 2016 graduates in relevant instructional programs in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services ▪ 1,443 – 2016 graduates in Computer Science ▪ 1,519 – 2016 graduates in relevant instructional programs in Engineering ▪ 822 – 2016 graduates in relevant instructional programs in Mathematics and Statistics Major Higher Education Institutions within a 200 Mile Radius of Tulsa ▪ University of Tulsa ▪ Oral Roberts University ▪ University of Oklahoma – Tulsa and Norman Campus ▪ Oklahoma State University – Tulsa and Stillwater Campus ▪ Northeastern State University ▪ Rogers State University ▪ Langston University ▪ University of Central Oklahoma ▪ Oklahoma City University ▪ University of Arkansas ▪ University of Kansas ▪ University of Central Missouri Vignette – “Because of its size, we have found that there is less direct competition in Tulsa for local college and university talent, and area technical schools have proven a willingness to customize their curriculum for our hiring needs. This is just one of the many reasons that we believe being headquartered in Tulsa gives us a competitive advantage over our industry peers in cities such as Houston, Dallas, Denver and other high-population areas. These attributes have enabled us to attract and retain an amazing workforce to provide reliable energy and energy-related services in a safe and environmentally responsible manner to our stakeholders.” – Terry Spencer – CEO, ONEOK, Inc. Meeting Your Near-Term Talent Needs – Years 1 and 2 • • [P7] We know we need to grow to meet your long term needs. The good news? Tulsans love coming home. Working with the Oklahoma Innovation Institute – whose mission is to help entrepreneurs and researchers find more problems, test more solutions, build more products and launch more companies – we have aggregated early estimates of individuals with Tulsa and Oklahoma ties who currently have careers in tech/software development; tech entrepreneurship; data science; product management and design; and cyber security. This data represents a vast pool of skilled workers that we believe are prime for recruiting back to the state. And the good news? We have the technology and capability to directly contact the individuals we have already identified. o Graduates from Oklahoma Universities Employed in Relevant Occupations Nationally ▪ Founders, Owners & Entrepreneurs in Software and Tech – 19,513 ▪ Software Developers & Engineers – 9,574 ▪ Product Managers & UX Designers – 876 ▪ Data Science – 3,706 ▪ Cyber Security – 3,594 o Vignette: “As someone who wants to get a startup off the ground, Tulsa is my current number one choice of city. I love Tulsa for what is now and even more so for what it is becoming. With its lower cost-of-living, I can sustain my startup for much longer and maximize its likelihood of success. Recruiting top talent from across the US is becoming easier and easier due to Tulsa investing heavily in itself. Several areas near downtown and the river have had significant renovations and are now flourishing. Between these attractive new areas and all the available entrepreneurial resources (meetups, incubators, and mentorships) in the city, I absolutely think Tulsa is poised to have exponential startup growth.” - Josh Hathaway – Tulsa native and Senior GNC Engineer at SpaceX o Vignette: Alpha, a new program of the Oklahoma Innovation Institute (OII), helps local companies and entrepreneurs work with academic institutions to identify key assets in the community, including the retention and recruitment of talent back to the Tulsa area. OII is building a robust database of current assets across the state, with a simple interface to allow users to identify resources, people and new projects. Alpha will also provide a communication platform for companies to connect with current and former Oklahomans that match specific job descriptions identified through social media and resume database mining. Through email campaigns and evaluation of social presence, Alpha will be able to identify those individuals most likely to relocate to the area for the right opportunities, simplifying the recruiting process by acting as an independent validator of interest in relocating to Tulsa. [P8] Beyond targeting tech talent with Oklahoma connections, we plan to leverage the assets that are truly unique to the Tulsa region. As the largest tribe in the United States, the Cherokee Nation – along with the Muscogee Creek and Osage Nations – provides a partnership opportunity unable to be replicated in any other jurisdiction. o Infographics: ▪ o 450,000+ – Number of citizens of the Cherokee, Muscogee Creek, and Osage Nations ▪ 240,000 – Number of Cherokee Nation citizens residing outside of tribal jurisdiction and northeast Oklahoma ▪ $6,800,000 – Value of scholarships provided to 3,331 students by the Cherokee Nation in Quote: “Tulsa is in the heart of Indian Country in America, as it is home to the Cherokee, Muscogee Creek and Osage nations. Oklahoma has always been defined by the history and heritage of its 38 sovereign Indian governments. Collectively, we play a major role in every aspect of life in northeast Oklahoma, from business and commerce to culture and tourism. Our tribal governments remain deeply committed to our partners at the city and state levels to grow our economy and create good jobs and a way of life that is meaningful to our citizens.” Principal Chief Bill John Baker, Cherokee Nation Meeting Your Mid-Term Talent Needs – Years 3 through 5 • • [P9] In June 2017, the Tulsa Regional Chamber completed a comprehensive study with Dallasbased Site Selection Group analyzing the region’s workforce. The most surprising finding? A significant number of Tulsans are underemployed – particularly in tech and the professional services sector. What does this mean for Amazon? A readily available pool of talent exists in Tulsa, waiting for job opportunities and additional training. o Professional Services Strengths: ▪ 15,254: Estimate of severely underemployed, part-time seeking full-time, and temp seeking full-time opportunities in the professional services occupational clusters. These are individuals more likely to be candidates for new and expanding operations. ▪ High Underemployment: For companies considering establishing operations or considering expansion, higher underemployment means opportunities to leverage existing skill sets in the community and to ramp up operations. Employer interviews support the notion that talent is available in the market. ▪ Current Occupational Presence for Support Positions: Data shows strong concentration of support and related positions for professional services in the community. ▪ Lower Demand Compared to Competitor Markets: Compared to very high demand markets, Tulsa could offer opportunities for companies who want to avoid competing in those “hot” cities. ▪ Competitive Wages: Compared to other markets, wages and salaries in Tulsa may be more attractive compared to larger metros. o Information Technology Strengths: ▪ 1,737: Estimate of severely underemployed, part-time seeking full-time, and temp seeking full-time opportunities in target occupational clusters. These are individuals more likely to be candidates for new and expanding operations. ▪ Leveraging Underemployed Workforce: Both broad statistics and those specific to IT workers and industry show comparatively higher levels of underemployment in the Tulsa region. As a result, new or expanded operations have the opportunity to leverage and build upon those skill sets. ▪ High Industry Growth: Although secondary data shows the pure IT sector as comparatively small, industry (and related occupations) have experienced high growth. Interviews support idea that the market is growing. ▪ Competitive Wages: Data show cost advantage relative to other competitor markets [P10] So how do we take this information and mobilize it to Amazon’s benefit? We capitalize and build upon the innovative solutions we’re already pursuing to up-skill and train workers throughout the Tulsa region. o List – descriptions next to icon/logo ▪ Coding Dojo – Launching its first class in the fall of 2017, Coding Dojo provides a 14-week boot camp to Tulsans looking to start a career in the tech industry. o Coding Dojo is already partnering with Tulsa area employers to specifically craft training around their needs and priorities. ▪ Tulsa Tech – As the state’s largest Career Tech system, Tulsa Tech provides fulltime, part-time, and custom business and industry training across a variety of industries. Tulsa Tech serves as the main partner in implementing workforce solutions leveraging the state’s Training for Industry Partners program – an incentive program valued at $XXXM for Amazon. ▪ Lumina Talent Hub – In September 2017, the Lumina Foundation announced Tulsa as one of 17 communities across the country designated as a Talent Hub. The Tulsa Talent Hub aims for a five percent increase in postsecondary enrollment for adult Hispanic and low- income students. In addition, the Tulsa Talent Hub will work with community partners to drive a 10 percent increase in Hispanic students applying prior learning assessment credits to help pave the way to postsecondary attainment and financial security. ▪ Software Development Engineer Tax Credit – Oklahoma’s highly successful Aerospace Engineer Tax Credit serves as a template for our push to implement a similar program for the state’s tech industry. If passed, the program would be modeled after its aerospace counterpart, providing direct tax benefits to companies hiring engineers, as well as direct tax benefits to the engineers themselves. Vignette – “I moved to Tulsa in 2005. It’s a great city, that feels like a small town when you’re taking a walk through downtown, but it still has all the nice attractions of a large Metroplex. A few months ago, when I decided to leave the field of nursing, I had no doubt that I would be able to find something else to do. There are many educational opportunities available across the state, and still they continue to bring in more. I saw an ad for Coding Dojo, a bootcamp training program for web design and programming in Dallas, and I was interested. When I started researching it, I saw that they were opening a campus in Tulsa, and that it was part of a joint initiative between the City of Tulsa and the Governor’s office. It speaks to me that there is not only community support, but that Tulsa and Oklahoma-based corporations are seeing the value in these types of educational cooperatives. It is to their benefit, and to me as well. I have a bachelor’s degree. I don’t have time to spend another two and a half years obtaining a CS degree (which may or may not be obsolete by the time the ink on my diploma is dry), before I can start looking for a job. Having a chance to fine-tune a specific skillset that makes me employable is definitely the best starting point.” Jaime Witt, 2017 Coding Dojo Student Meeting Your Long-Term Talent Needs – Years 6 and Beyond • • [P11] We’re thinking big in Tulsa when it comes to education partnerships and long-term objectives. Perhaps no area exhibits Tulsa’s pioneering and innovative spirit – and desire to beta test models that can be exported across the U.S. – than the city’s approach to growing talent from cradle-to-career. An unprecedented public/private partnership exists to ensure no newborn child is responsible for the circumstances of his or her birth. At the forefront of these efforts is the newly launched Birth through Eight Strategy for Tulsa (BEST), which applies many of the research findings from the last 50+ years about family dynamics, early brain development, evidence-based interactions, and the type and quality of services vulnerable families desire community-wide. The strategy is distinguished by its comprehensiveness – providing both a continuum of tailored services from preconception through third grade, and personalized guidance and support through qualified staff to assist families in meeting their goals during and between each stage of a child’s early development. o The combination of the following actions sets Tulsa apart from other American cities and exemplifies our designation as Beta City, U.S.A ▪ [Clock icon] Early and Sustained Efforts: Brain development is at its all-time peak before a child turns three, meaning programs and services will focus intensively on infants and toddlers. Early childhood services transition to the support of Tulsa’s universal Pre-K system, are followed by innovative K-12 efforts to create a school district that is the best place to teach in the region, and are concluded with Tulsa Achieves and the ability to attain an associate’s degree at no cost. ▪ [4 pointed arrow] Breadth and Depth: A wide range of supports will be available to families across the community during the first eight years of a child’s life, with the intensity of services most intensely focused on the needs and desires of Tulsa’s lowest income families. ▪ [Person icon] Personalized Navigation: Family advocates support families from the prenatal stage through the early years. Client choice drives enrollment throughout the continuum of programs. ▪ [Data icon] Leverage and Integrate Data Oriented around Common Goals: A comprehensive data ecosystem will follow children throughout the continuum and will maximize program improvement and client usage in unprecedented ways. [P12] Tulsa represents an enterprising and comprehensive educational vision to the mounting demand that the public sector can effectively partner with private citizens, philanthropy, and innovators to find a transformative, paradigm-changing solution to the continuing crisis facing low-income children and families. We’re a city with a legacy as a leader – we were the internationally recognized epicenter of the oil and gas industry for much of the 20th century, and today we’re known widely as the preeminent center of early childhood and continuing education. Tulsa has all the elements to become the vanguard of place-based solutions for transformative social change. And once fully realized, the city’s educational legacy will be a national model for customized, continuous support for children and families in need, delivering on America’s essential promise of equal opportunity for all. o • 76% - Percent of the state’s 4-year olds enrolled in Pre-K in 2014, one of the highest rates in the nation. o 1,700 – Approximate annual enrollment in Tulsa Community College through the Tulsa Achieves program, which provides students in Tulsa County the opportunity to attain an Associate’s Degree at no cost. o 50% - Percent of student population at Tulsa’s Dual Language Immersion School who are native Spanish-speakers, where science and social studies are taught in Spanish, and beginning in second grade, students perform reading assignments in both English and Spanish. o 24 – Number of interdisciplinary modules in Union Public School’s Project Lead the Way program. The program empowers students to adopt a design-thinking mindset through compelling activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the world around them. As students engage in hands-on activities in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, they become creative, collaborative problem solvers. Vignette: Dr. Gist, Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent o “The world around us is changing rapidly and our workforce needs are increasingly tied to concepts or fields that do not exist. We need a public education system that can iterate, innovate, and continuously improve and adapt to ensure that all students graduate prepared for success - however that might look in the years to come. In Tulsa, we leverage strategic partnerships with our business community to carve out new pathways for learning and to create strong pipelines for workforce development. In 2015, we responded to the growing need for skilled labor in the aerospace industry by joining with Tulsa Technology Center and the City of Tulsa to launch the Tulsa Tech Aerospace Academy. High school juniors and seniors spend half the day in a traditional classroom setting and half the day in technical classes including course offerings around computer network technology, cyber security, and network systems administration. Our education system provides the flexibility we need to be nimble and swiftly responsive to the demands of our changing society. In my career in education, I have worked in six different states throughout our country, but I chose to return home to Tulsa because public education matters to the people of this great city. I chose Tulsa because of the kindness and generosity of both resources and spirit that I encounter every day with fellow Tulsans. I came home to be a part of Tulsa's revitalization and to ensure our school district is contributing mightily to that – and I welcome the team at Amazon to join us.” Develop a Campus at Which People Want to Work • [P13-20] Content for sites from Jen Griffin and Cyntergy team – currently working on developing visuals and narrative for sites Continue to Build a City in Which People Want to Live • Cultural Assets o [P21] Taking Risks Is in Our DNA ▪ Tulsa was born as a boomtown, at the front lines of the oil rush. Having the faith to drill a hole in the ground — praying to strike oil — was the risk-taking and innovation that drove the industrial revolution; that ushered in a period of innovation and invention in the 20th century. We’ve kept that spirit of risktaking and innovation ever since. As a town with plenty of land to grow, we built art deco skyscrapers — because that’s what world-class cities did. We built one of the first municipal airports in the country in 1928, knowing that was the future of transportation — and by 1930 we had the busiest airport in the world, with Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart making stops in Tulsa. And when it came to building a downtown arena, we selected a top-notch architect — Cesar Pelli — to build a masterpiece and spark our downtown renaissance. As a city, we haven’t always struck oil. But our people have the tenacity to continue drilling. And when we see opportunity, we’ll do whatever it takes to seize it. o A Community That Cares ▪ That risk-taking and innovation has been matched with a community that cares deeply about one another. We're a community that welcomes you with open arms, and gives you opportunity once you're here. We don't wait for others to take care of us; we take care of one another. It’s the collective giving that has built the second-largest community foundation in the nation, and a United Way that is in the top one percent in per capita giving. It’s a belief that our community is strongest when we come together that led to the largest private gift to a public park in U.S. history, The Gathering Place — intentionally designed for all Tulsans to come together and connect with one another. o You built a world-class company. We're building a world-class city. Let’s build a worldclass community together. o [P22] Just as Amazon is nothing without the talent and human capital of the individual humans that comprise its workforce, so too is Tulsa nothing without the diverse strengths, talents, and culture of its citizens. And a city that doesn’t welcome residents from all walks of life, is a city that cannot thrive in the modern era. That’s why Tulsa’s community leaders are committed to building a city that welcomes all individuals – as well as to ensuring that those which have suffered historically, or are currently economically disadvantaged, are able to enjoy the same economic opportunity equally. ▪ 1921 Race Riot Centennial Commission: A diverse commission including U.S. Senator James Lankford, State Senator Kevin Matthews, State Representative Regina Goodwin, Mayor Bynum, and a broad range of community leaders. The Commission will focus on commemorating the history of the riot, while rebuilding the district through targeted action and investment. ▪ Community Policing Commission: Launched by Mayor Bynum in his first weeks as Mayor, the Commission provided 77 specific recommendations to strengthen o relationships between the Tulsa Police Department and Tulsa’s communities of color. 76 of the recommendations will be in place before the end of 2017. ▪ New Tulsans Initiative: Tulsa was recently awarded a Gateways for Growth grant, in partnership with the New American Economy and Welcoming America. The grant serves as a first step in the launch of the New Tulsans Initiative, centered in the Mayor’s office as a partnership between the City of Tulsa, the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the Tulsa Area United Way, and the city’s education, health, and corporate institutions. The Initiative will promote meaningful integration of Tulsa’s immigrant communities, and use a multi-sector approach to reducing barriers for non-native born residents. ▪ Tulsa Regional Chamber Mosaic initiative: The Chamber’s diversity business council, focused on advocating for the competitive advantage of a diverse and inclusive business climate and leveraging the region’s diversity to improve perceptions of our community and grow the economy. [P23] While our population may not stack up against the major markets of New York, Chicago, Atlanta, or Dallas, Tulsa has historically hit above its weight class when it comes to investing in and supporting the cultural amenities touted by these very cities. ▪ [Museum Icon] Home to the Gilcrease Museum, the world’s largest collection of Western art; the Philbrook, a museum and estate donated to the City by Waite Phillips; and now the full archives of two of America’s greatest musicians: Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan ▪ [Opera Icon] The nation’s 12th oldest opera company, and one of America’s top 10 favorite regional opera organizations according to Opera News Magazine. As noted by L.J. Martin in 1905: “Of course, we did not have any sewers or street paving, but these were luxuries that could wait, whereas an opera house loomed as an immediate necessity.” ▪ [Bike Icon] Tulsa Tough is a premier three-day cycling festival in Tulsa, with more than 2,000 Gran Fondo and 3,000 criterium racers weaving in and out of tens of thousands of spectators in Tulsa every year. The race stands as one of the top four races on USA Cycling’s prestigious Pro Road Tour calendar. ▪ [Music Note Icon] Home to the BOK Center, named “Arena of the Year” in 2016 by the International Entertainment Buyers Association, and Cain’s Ballroom, ranked 21st in the world for ticket sales at club venues ▪ [Projector Icon] Circle Cinema stands as the only arthouse nonprofit cinema in the area. The venue first opened as a movie theater in 1928 and has since been restored to its former glory, now serving as a neighborhood theater – opening its doors to independent films, documentaries, and guest speakers 365 days a year ▪ [Book Icon] Neil Gaiman said, “Tulsa has been, ever since I was about 19, the place in America that reeked of literary magic to me.” A project of the Tulsa Litarary Coalition, Booksmart Tulsa is focused on celebrating and growing Tulsa’s literary scene. Its Advisory Board includes Sir Salman Rushdie, David Sedaris, and Jonathan Safron Foer. o • [P24] Tulsa is a city with innovation in its blood, and that is building itself to be a worldclass, globally competitive city. We’re a city that is committed to growth, and investing strategically together – from public, private, and philanthropic sectors – to achieve our goals of economic prosperity, health, and quality of life for our citizens. We ask Amazon to dream with us about how we can grow together. Amazon is making a move that will measure its success in decades, not years. And so one of the most important factors to consider is a city’s trajectory – as Wayne Gretzky said, to skate where the puck will be, not where it is. ▪ Vignette: “Three years ago, I planted a flag in Tulsa when I accepted an offer to become the CEO of Tulsa-based WPX Energy. I haven’t regretted it for a second. What I thought might be a weakness here is actually a selling point in our ability to attract engineers and many bright minds. We can compete with what you find in a really big city, but without all the grind, gridlock and headache. It’s easy to pinpoint what people like: a high quality of life, affordable housing and the low cost of living, downtown redevelopment, a strong sense of community and our reputation for generosity and goodwill. Infrastructure/Logistics o [P25] Tulsa has and will continue to be innovative, and is eager to be the catalyst for 21st Century infrastructure. The next 20 years will bring change to ground transportation like nothing we’ve seen since the Model T was introduced. For the first time in many people’s lifetimes, owning a car will be optional. This change means cities who are invested deeply in immovable public transit systems will be at a disadvantage to those who have little investment in fixed transit systems. Like the wireless revolution of the 1990s and 2000s, when within 15 years, the idea of owning a landline telephone went from necessity to rare, human drivers as a prerequisite for personal and freight transportation will be similarly untethered. Tulsa is not held back by costly fixed transit infrastructure of the 20th century. Instead, we’re ready to build the infrastructure of the 21st century. ▪ Innovating for Next Gen Transportation • The Vehicle Autonomy and Intelligence Lab (VAIL) at the University of Tulsa specializes in enabling technologies which will lead to advanced autonomous vehicles in everyday life. Current research topics include automatic safety systems, certification and safety assurance, automatic emergency management systems, UAS command and control, adaptive intelligent controllers, sensor fusion, and public acceptance of vehicle autonomy. • The University of Tulsa is a leader in heavy vehicle cyber security and has worked with government and industry to develop research and talent to ensure the safe transport of goods over the road. TU was instrumental in developing the CyberTruck Challenge, an annual student challenge event to assess heavy vehicle cyber security. • TU’s Associate Professor Roger Mailler is an NSF CAREER award winner, whose research in distributed problem solving have been used to solve o o problems in sensor networks, airspace management, traffic management, resource allocation, and human coordination. • Mechanical engineering students participating in the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge are working to develop software for an autonomous rover, as well as to research unmanned aerovehicles such as a quadcopter for its operation and software. Moving from designing and testing prototyes for micro-class airplanes, another group of students is working to secure heavy vehicle networks in cybersecurity for trucking with their Truck-in-a-box project [P26] Tulsa has always been innovative when it comes to literally and figuratively changing our landscape through development of infrastructure, transportation, and architecture. ▪ Historical Examples: • Airplane icon: We built an airport in 1928, when most people had never seen a plane. In 1930, that airport had enough plane traffic to become the busiest airport in the world. • Boat icon: We built a self-sustaining inland port to bring in raw materials and ship out agricultural products all over the world. That port is now a high-traffic marine highway and saves farmers and manufacturers millions of dollars every year in transportation costs. • Remove fiber story ▪ We are building what our community needs to attract and retain the workforce of the future. • Bus icon: We are investing millions of dollars in a public initiative that will give 22% of our city’s population access to a rapid transit bus line • River icon: We are investing in low-water dams to turn our prairie-river into a series of lakes for recreation • Tree icon: We are constructing a $400 million park, The Gathering Place, next to those lakes that will be the largest private investment in a public park green-space in U.S. history. ▪ These are the types of things Tulsa will continue to invest in so that people will look at this city and see a great place to grow-up, build a life, or “beta-test” a new experience. [P27] What does this mean for Amazon and your future workforce? It means shorter drive times – and less time raging in traffic – connectivity to major markets, a city-wide trail and bike system, and a transit system solidly in growth mode and ready to adapt to shifts in vehicle technology. ▪ 44% Less Congestion – than cities like Austin, Denver, Atlanta and Dallas ▪ 2.8 million residents – within a 2-hour drive ▪ 96% - Tulsans within 2-miles of a trail or on-street bikeway ▪ 86% - Tulsans with access to transit within a 10-minute walk ▪ 22% - Tulsans with access to bus rapid transit within a 10-minute walk by 2021 ▪ 5 – major cell carriers with 4G LTE Coverage ▪ 53 – nonstop daily flights serving 21 airports ▪ o 20 – number of new daily flights that can be added with no new infrastructure at Tulsa International Airport [P28] We are a city poised for an infrastructure revolution. We’re ready to say “where we’re going, we don’t need roads” (or at least drivers). Without the burden of an expensive and fixed transit system of the 20th century, we are uniquely poised to adapt to the rapid changes in personal and freight transportation. With the deep retail expertise of Walmart only two hours from Tulsa, and a young, innovative mayor willing to “do whatever it takes” to prove that Tulsa is the place for Amazon’s next big investment, we are the beta city for transforming the way people consume ▪ A new Interstate connected to Walmart Headquarters and University of Arkansas - Tulsa leaders have engaged the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to commission a study on the viability of a new interstate highway that will stretch along US-412 from I-35 to I-49 in Northwest Arkansas, and will most likely be named “Interstate 42.” ODOT will execute this study in order to build a high-speed corridor that connects Tulsa to these regions and gives us better access as a central hub to Oklahoma State University and cities in Northwest Arkansas, Wal-Mart headquarters and the University of Arkansas. ▪ Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - Tulsa is home to the headquarters of the fastest growing and most innovative convenience store chains in the nation. QuikTrip Corporation has been an innovator in quality take-and-go food and has dozens of stores in Tulsa. When most convenience stores were focused on selling gasoline, QuikTrip built a business model focused on creating high quality food and drink options. Additionally, with over 750 stores in 12 states, QuikTrip has a strong ability to partner in expanding the Amazon Locker program and beyond to perishable goods delivery. Finally, QuikTrip has committed to pursuing electric vehicle charging stations at its Tulsa market stores with an eye toward making autonomous vehicle charging a possibility for testing product delivery in a Top 10 city for autonomous vehicle testing. ▪ Increase flight capacity by 50% - The Tulsa International Airport has the capacity, with no new infrastructure, to increase its flight schedule by 50% to 75 daily nonstop flights. This would mean four daily flights to New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Preserve the Affordability of the Regional Community • • [P29] Quality without Compromise – While the last decade has led to the resurgence of the American city – and a shift away from suburban sprawl – the result in major metro areas throughout the U.S. has been a dramatic increase in the cost of living, to the point where housing is virtually unaffordable for the average resident, and home ownership is an illusory goal for only the top percent of workers. In Tulsa, we’ve bucked the trend and we’re focused on updating regional policies to increase the diversity of Tulsa’s housing stock, and encourage density in the downtown and near-downtown core. o Infographic: ▪ Tulsa Average House Cost: $192,223 ▪ US Average House Cost: $289,237 • Tulsa is 33.5% below the national average ▪ Tulsa Average Rent: $600/month ▪ U.S. Average Rent: $877/month • Tulsa is 31.6% below the national average ▪ Tulsa’s Per Capita Income is 11.6% above the national average ▪ Source: U.S. Census o Bar Chart: ▪ Housing costs in Tulsa are nearly 34% below the national average ▪ Tulsa ranks number 1 out of a comparative city set in the overall cost of living • Omaha: 90.9 • Philadelphia: 115.9 • Pittsburgh: 95.7 • Denver: 112.6 • Austin: 96.3 • Houston: 99.4 • Dallas: 103.2 • Tulsa: 89.9 ▪ Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Index o Vignette: “As young people get squeezed out of larger cities, Tulsa provides the walkability, culture and character of top tier cities, without top tier prices. This community has provided the perfect blank canvas to begin not only a career but also a life, which does not stop with affordability. Tulsa's unique access to opportunity and growth trajectory means ample space to leave your mark and build a strong future. While many communities have already defined themselves, Tulsa is growing, thriving and thirsty for innovative, progressive leadership. In Tulsa, you can be a part of writing its next chapter, which is exactly why I’ve decided to build my career here, rather than elsewhere.” Shagah Zakerion – Director of Business Development and Community Health, The Water Co.; former Executive Director of Tulsa’s Young Professionals [P30] Increasing Housing Diversity o In 2016, the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission implemented a revised Zoning Code focused on aligning the region’s land use policies with the broader strategic goals of the Comprehensive Plan, which overwhelmingly recommended the city and o o region focus on increasing density, walkability, and mixed use development practices. Looking to the future, Tulsa is focused on identifying strategies and incentives that will promote the development of dense, mixed-income housing, thereby preserving the region’s affordability while increasing the housing stock available to the region’s workforce. Infographics: ▪ $1 Billion+ │ Private and public investment announced or completed since 2008 ▪ 1,000+ │ Housing units planned or under construction in downtown Tulsa ▪ $22 Million │ Potential funding available in the next two years to leverage for incentivizing housing development ▪ 86% │ Percentage of single family homes sold in Tulsa County for less than $250,000 ▪ 35,510 │ Single family homes built in Tulsa County from 2000-2017 Vignette: “My wife and I relocated to San Francisco in 2013 for a job with a large technology startup (Evernote). We returned to Tulsa after only two years, a decision driven by the time we spent in traffic – an average of 12 hours per week for my commute – and the continuously escalating cost of housing. Home ownership in that area is merely a dream for most, and a huge risk for those who can afford to overbid on real estate (often in dodgy neighborhoods). Here in Tulsa, ownership is well within reach for even young professionals, and we have beautiful, safe neighborhoods with plenty of homes on the market.” Curtis Kline – CEO, Wabi Cycles Leverage Initial and Ongoing Capital and Operational Savings • • [P31] As you contemplate a decision that ultimately has implications that span decades, we recognize that beyond providing a solid pipeline of talent to meet Amazon’s labor demands – and a community quality of life that ensures the longevity of this pipeline – the future home of HQ2 must also provide a strong and consistent political environment, along with the business and tax environment that promotes financial success and reinvestment. o [City Hall Icon] Tulsa is led by mayor-council form of government, established in 1989. The mayor is elected by the entire voting population, while the nine City Councilors are elected by voters arranged into nine districts. Tulsa’s elections are non-partisan, which reduces the influence of party affiliation in electing the Mayor or the City Councilors. As a result, Tulsa’s Mayor and Councilors have proven to be able to quickly and nimbly address issues cooperatively to arrive at the right outcome for the City. In practice, this form of government creates an accessible City Hall that puts minimal layers between the government and citizens and businesses. o [Map of NE OK icon] Beyond Tulsa itself, the communities that comprise northeast Oklahoma have a strong history of regional cooperation and collaboration, especially as it relates to economic development, business recruitment, and talent attraction and retention efforts. Additionally, the region is celebrating its 10th year of pursuing a regional legislative agenda – the OneVoice Legislative Agenda, facilitated by the Tulsa Regional Chamber. This agenda provides a common set of legislative goals and priorities which have allowed Northeast Oklahoma to coalesce around, advocate for, and ultimately succeed in passing legislation crucial to the success of business. o Vignette: Established in 2007, the OneVoice Legislative Agenda provides a regional forum for community and business leaders to collectively determine northeast Oklahoma’s top legislative priorities. The agenda is developed through a 3-month process driven by nine (9) issue-based task forces, and ultimately culminates in a Summit where nearly 500 members vote upon the issues that will become the region’s major legislative priorities at the state and federal level for the next year. Key current legislative priorities include diversifying municipal revenue structures to ensure the long-term stability of regional communities and allowing for the implementation of local education funding mechanisms. Past priorities that ultimately were enacted into law include reforming the state’s workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance programs and increasing funding of the state’s Quick Action Closing Fund. [P32] Beyond a stable and supportive business and political environment, Tulsa and Oklahoma ultimately provide significant initial capital and ongoing operational savings that will allow Amazon to reinvest savings in projects that create true shareholder value – rather than buildings and overhead expenses. o Infographic: ▪ 40% │ Percentage increase in construction costs between Tulsa and Chicago ▪ $167,829 │ Income equivalent to $100,000 in Tulsa for a worker in Washington, D.C. ▪ 68% │ Percentage increase in the cost of Unemployment Insurance between Oklahoma and Illinois ▪ • $30 Million │ Estimated savings on electric expenses, assuming an average of 5,000,000 sq ft and 14kwh/sq ft in electricity usage, over 15 years o Vignette: Today, growing digital companies like ConsumerAffairs and large aerospace operations are building their futures here. They are growing in a city whose can-do, innovative spirit traces its roots to a time when Tulsa was known as the Oil Capital of the World, when energy companies were led by names like Skelly, Phillips and Getty and these entrepreneurs – and others – left their mark on this beautiful and culturally rich community. Those innovative leaders of the past left well-funded foundations that continue to support our schools and colleges, world class museums, hospitals, social services and the arts. Importantly, they also focus on developing young professional entrepreneurs to launch their dreams.” – Alan Armstrong - President and CEO, The Williams Companies [P33] Incentives (See Hive/Renewal proposal for example of potential layout) o Public Investment Initiative ▪ The City of Tulsa will commit to submit a dedicated sales tax increment of 0.45% for 25 years. Using a conservative estimate of 1.5% annual growth, this tax will generate $1,044,000,000. It is estimated that the City could issue revenue bonds of $500,000,000 or more to support immediate land acquisition, site preparation, construction, direct incentives, and community enhancements related to the location of Amazon HQ2 in Tulsa. o Site Grant ▪ Both proposed sites are comprised of publicly-owned land, offered to the project at no cost. Acquisition of the Mid-Continent Concrete Company at the proposed River West Site, and any needed additional acreage for Phase 1 at the Historic Greenwood Site, would be completed utilizing the proposed public investment initiative. o Payroll Rebates o Workforce and Training o Software Development Engineer Tax Credit o Federal Former Indian Lands Incentives • [P34] A History of Corporate Support o Whirlpool – In 1994, Tulsa County voters overwhelmingly approved a half-cent sales tax increase to build a new plant for the Whirlpool Corporation. The measure passed by a 4 to 1 margin, with 78 percent of voters in favor. With direct public support, Whirlpool built and equipped a new 573,000 square foot plant, which later expanded to more than 850,000 square feet. o Boeing – In 2003, Tulsa County voters approved a one-cent sales tax increase for economic development and quality of life initiatives, with a total of four propositions all approved with more than 60 percent of the vote. 40 percent of the new sales tax was purposed for the construction of a $350 million assembly plant for the Boeing Co. to build the final assembly plant for its 7E7 (now 787) Dreamliner in Tulsa. Though Boeing kept final assembly in Everett, Tulsa was tapped to produce composite wing components for the new plane. While the 0.4% tax increment approved by voters in 2003 never went into effect, it remains as a testament that Tulsa voters have demonstrated they are willing to support transformational economic development projects. o Vision Tulsa – In April 2016, Tulsa voters approved the Vision Tulsa tax package, which included $27.3 million in funding for improvements to city-owned airport facilities, which are home to American Airlines – the largest non-military maintenance base in the world – Spirit Aerosystems, Triumph, and Navistar. Additionally, voters approved a $10 million site development incentive for the Peoria Mohawk Business Park, a partner initiative between the City of Tulsa and George Kaiser Family foundation to attract a major manufacturing employer to the north Tulsa community.