20 cities named finalists for Amazon’s HQ2

Austin’s up-and-coming technology startup scene and liberal-leaning, laid-back vibe has drawn comparisons to Seattle. It already has ties to Amazon, as it is home to Whole Foods.

Tour boats pass each other on the main branch of the Chicago River. Chicago is positioning itself as a natural fit for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Columbus, Ohio  (Larry Hamill / For the Chicago Tribune)

Dallas is one of two Texas cities to make Amazon’s list of HQ2 finalists.

Miami is the lone Florida city picked as an Amazon HQ2 contender.

Twilight settles over the Cumberland River in Nashville, one of 20 cities that are contenders for Amazon’s HQ2.

Philadelphia is one of two cities in Pennsylvania chosen as HQ2 finalists. Pittsburgh is the other. Here, Indepence Hall is photographed.

Pittsburgh boasts more affordable space for a campus than some other potential competitors.

Toronto’s clusters of researchers and startups working on artificial intelligence could make it a good fit for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Washington, D.C., is among three mid-Atlantic areas picked as finalists for Amazon’s HQ2. The others are Montgomery County, Md., located between Washington and Baltimore, and northern Virginia.