Amazon receives $81,000 from Arlington as part of HQ2 deal

Amazon receives $81,000 from Arlington as part of HQ2 deal

Amazon is getting its first check from Arlington County for HQ2. It?s an incentive payment of more than $80,000 from hotel taxes.

ARLINGTON, Va. - Amazon is getting its first check from Arlington County for HQ2. It’s an incentive payment of more than $80,000 from hotel taxes.

What we know:

This is one of the many incentives Arlington leaders are giving the tech giant for selecting the county as the home for its second headquarters back in 2018.

The Metropolitan Park campus opened in May 2023, following the pandemic — which slowed down the timeline for some incentives.

But Arlington County leaders say Amazon is keeping its end of the bargain — boosting the economy and contributing to $25.5 million in hotel tax revenue.

The county is giving the company a grant payment of $81,000 for the revenue they helped generate — which officials say is just a fraction of Amazon’s overall impact on the county.

What they're saying:

"You talk about $81,000 coming from 15 percent, a fraction of the transit occupancy tax … but I can put on the other side more than half a billion dollars invested in affordable housing, educational benefits, in money that went to our nonprofits here in Arlington," said Takis P. Karantonis from the Arlington County Board. "So all in all, the arrival of Amazon in the region is a net benefit for everybody."

In a statement to FOX 5, Amazon said its commitment to the region goes beyond the creation of jobs:

"We’re proud of our progress … we look forward to the continued ripple effect of economic revitalization for years to come."

Metropolitan Park is phase one of HQ2. There’s no word yet on when phase two — PenPlace — will kick off.