By Nicholas Scotchie, Political Reporter

    After months of speculation of where the new Amazon headquarters would find its home, it was recently announced that Long Island City of Queens, New York will be home to one of the two facilities that will act as the joint second headquarters for the trillion dollar company, the other being Arlington, Virginia.

    Amazon plans on hiring 25,000 employees beginning next year with plans to employ 40,000 in total when the office is expanded, along with $2.5 billion being invested into a project that is expected to produce $10 billion in tax revenue over the next ten years. New York State and New York City have given $2.8 billion in incentives, with more promised if they go beyond the 25,000 promised jobs.

    While Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz have welcomed Amazon as a boost to the city economy, others have been less inviting, most vocal among them Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Criticism centers around the large amount of subsidies given to the company and the potential rising of housing costs relating to HQ2.

    Amazon will most likely continue to be a controversial company, and HQ2 will possibly be a point of division and disagreement for years to come.