- The Washington Times - Thursday, November 15, 2018

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

It’s unbelievable, but consider this premise: The commonwealth of Virginia, Arlington County and Jeff Bezos should ban motor vehicles from Amazon’s future National Landing site and surrounding commercial neighbors.

Ain’t that a hoot?

The idea is out there, at least in the internet ether, now that mega-moneyman Jeff Bezos wants to build a half of Amazon’s second headquarters in Crystal City in Arlington County. It’s a spit and a shoutout from America’s lobby capital, which is another name for the nation’s capital, and in close proximity to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport — two of the nation’s busiest.

Mr. Bezos wants to put the other half of the headquarters in New York City — Long Island City in Queens, to be exact.

Elected officials and other supporters are swooning over anticipated windfalls, including taxable six-figure incomes, housing booms and an adrenaline shot from sales taxes. The Crystal City area is home to the always busy Pentagon City Mall, Pentagon Row of specialty shops, and a standalone shopping center that houses Costco, Best Buy and Marshalls.

There’s also easy Metrorail access.

Of course, the Pentagon alone deserves an Amazon high-five and an Amazon fist-bump — the thousands upon thousands of civilian and military workers there can really and truly put Amazon Prime’s delivery services to the test. Even if the delivery is office supplies or fresh fruit platters.

Greenbacks a plenty from around the globe, around the nation and around the Beltway.

If the no-motorists-allowed foolishness is entertained, however, kiss goodbye the economic glue that would hold the glitter of Amazon.

Sure, transit is always an issue, and it doesn’t matter whether the project is large or small — and the Amazon Crystal City project is a big girl who will never, ever, ever fit in a girdle.

What’s important now is that local and state officials respect the property owners who live there now and respect the motorists who shop in Arlington because they can drive to Arlington.

In other words, respect that e-commerce, and the size of e-commerce queen Amazon, are giving brick-and-motor chil’ren a run for their money, something Sears and K-mart learned the hard way.

Even Mr. Bezos has said “Amazon is not too big to fail.”

Take that to the bank.

Deborah Simmons can be contacted at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.

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