New York official says agreement with Amazon has been sloppy from the start

The city's top economic development official admitted Thursday that the deal on Amazon had been botched from the start.

"The deployment was not as easy as expected. I think we all regret it, "said James Patchett, president of the Economic Development Corporation, at a business forum organized by Crain in Midtown.

"There is no question that the company is not prepared for what happened in New York," he said, but blamed Amazon for the lack of preparation for not having engaged a "New -York single to work with them "or to connect with residents.

He also pointed to misinformation about $ 3 billion in subsidies, saying even his professional friends did not understand the economics of the deal.

"Why have you [give] a check for $ 3 billion? Patchett said. In fact, the subsidies would have taken the form of future tax breaks – not a cash reserve currently in the coffers of the city.

Patchett blamed Amazon and elected officials who supported the deal to lose the PR match.

"We tried to advise them on this," said Patchett. "They did not play their cards as efficiently as they could."

He conceded that city officials had not actually sold the project to New Yorkers, although public polls showed that the majority of residents approved the deal.

"Not enough people could see each other in these jobs," Patchett said.

"We need to make sure people do not just talk about jobs, but believe they are the jobs they would get."

He acknowledged that the opposition of the representative Alexandria Ocasia-Cortez to the agreement contributed to his disappearance.

Erik Enkquist, editor at Crain, jokingly asked if the city should just "give the keys" to the first congressman of Sunnyside Yards, a massive development site in Queens.

He ignored stupidity.

During a question-and-answer segment, Patchett revealed that Amazon was particularly concerned about the high cost of living for its employees, but also by the ruined subway system.

Still, Amazon officials said the city's 300-page proposal, offering 50 million square feet of real estate, was "the best they've received from afar," Patchett boasts.

On February 14, the company announced that it was withdrawing from its agreement in principle to open a gigantic siege at Long Island City due to opposition from some local officials, progressive activists, and union leaders. .