Seattle-based online retail giant Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) is looking for a second operational hub in North America.
The company's chief executive, Jeff Bezos, said the hub, dubbed HQ2, would “be a full equal” to is Seattle headquarters.
The company, well known for its ability to keep money out of the clutches of the tax man, said it would seek proposals from local and state government leaders interested in having the headquarters in their area.
The company expects to employ up to 50,000 people in the new base, and spend more than US$5bn on its construction and operation.