What will it take to lure Amazon to the Triangle?

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- Will the Raleigh metropolitan area become the second headquarters for Amazon? It made the short list as it's now a top 20 finalist out of 238 proposals.

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The real work now for city leaders is trying to meet one-on-one with Amazon to show why this region should be the top pick.

"It was the strength of the entire region that got us here so we are really excited as a region as a whole," said Ryan Combs, the Executive Director of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership.

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The exact location for the proposed headquarters is not yet known since the proposal to Amazon had several options.

"Amazon hasn't clarified exactly where they are interested in," Combs said. "Our proposal was a regional approach - places in Raleigh, places in Durham, places in RTP. Until we hear exactly where Amazon wants to be, we are going to continue with our entire region."

If Amazon picks this area, we are talking about 50,000 new jobs. Critics of Amazon setting up shop in the Triangle said adding 50,000 new jobs would be tough on the Triangle's infrastructure, but Combs says that shouldn't be a problem.

"This is not 50,000 jobs that is going to happen overnight," Combs said. "This is a 15- to 20-year process, and I believe we can accommodate that growth. Wake County is projected to grow, double their population in the next 20 years so the population boom is coming whether Amazon comes or not."

Amazon is expected to make its final decision within this year.