Before prime time: Did Amazon’s 1999 arrival in Kansas deliver on hype?

In 1999, Amazon — still in its infancy — meant only two things to most consumers: low-priced books and CDs. But for one small town in Kansas, residents believed the online retailer had the potential to be a game-changer for their economically depressed, rural community. “People in Coffeyville were practically doing cartwheels in the streets,” said…

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Primed for HQ2? Gardner area was made for Amazon, Kansas legislator says

Plans for bringing Amazon’s HQ2 to Southwestern Johnson County were laid in the 1800s, Bill Sutton said. “As soon as the (Santa Fe, Oregon, and California) trails divided here, all of this was in the cards,” said Sutton, a Kansas state representative whose district encompasses Gardner and Edgerton. “If the trails divided here, then guess…

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Olathe mayor touts startup community in pitch for Amazon HQ2

With a workforce rich in entrepreneurial spirit, Amazon would be wise to tap Kansas City for its second headquarters, Michael Copeland said. “The climate has cultivated world-class start-up businesses and nurtured corporate giants, and it’s been a source of support and stability for everything in between,” said Copeland, mayor of Olathe. “It fosters risk-taking and…

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