“Our goal with this next HQ2 milestone is to continue driving positive press and fortifying our corporate reputation, while not giving our critics unnecessary ammunition or feeding the perception that this is an over-the-top reality show,” the document stated, before recommending three, surprising finalists from months of travel, meals, speculation, and negotiation: Chicago, Philadelphia, and Raleigh. “The locations do not have the largest concentration of existing tech talent but we believe they have the foundation for talent growth across our many businesses,” the paper concluded.
