Amazon's Request for Proposals for HQ2 (link) states their requirements. I'll cherry-pick a few:
HQ2 could be, but does not have to be: An urban or downtown campus A similar layout to Amazon’s Seattle campus A development-prepped site. We want to encourage states/provinces and communities to think creatively for viable real estate options.
The following is a summary of the Project’s ideal site and building requirements:
Proximity to population center 30 Miles
Proximity to International airport Within approx. 45 Minutes
Proximity to major highways and arterial roads Not more than 1-2 Miles
Close to major arterial roads to provide optimal access
Access to mass transit At site Direct access to rail, train, subway/metro, bus routes
A highly educated labor pool is critical and a strong university system is required.
Travel time to an international airport with daily direct flights to Seattle, New York, San Francisco/Bay Area, and Washington, D.C. is also an important consideration.
The Project requires a compatible cultural and community environment for its long-term success. This includes the presence and support of a diverse population, excellent institutions of higher education, local government structure and elected officials eager and willing to work with the company
Please include programs/partnerships currently available and potential creative programs with higher education institutions in the region in your response. Please also include a list of universities and community colleges with relevant degrees and the number of students graduating with those degrees over the last three years. Additionally, include information on your local/regional K-12 education programs related to computer science.
Please provide highway, airport, and related travel and logistics information for all proposed sites. Please also include transit and transportation options for commuting employees living in the region. For each proposed site in your region, identify all transit options, including bike lanes and pedestrian access to the site(s). Also,
list the ranking of traffic congestion for your community and/or region during peak commuting times. (Note that in that INRIX congestion ranking that I posted above, Indy was the least congested among the 20 Amazon finalists.)
Please include information on your community with respect to daily living, recreational opportunities, diversity of housing options, availability of housing near potential sites for HQ2, and pricing, among other information. Please also include relevant crime data and cost of living data.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/Anything/test/images/usa/RFP_3._V516043504_.pdf