Amazon’s pullout is a blow to New York City’s tech momentum

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Traffic is seen in Long Island City, Queens, New York City, U.S., November 7, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

New York worked hard for many years to transform itself into a top tech hub and finally it seemed to be just that, with one report ranking the city as the best place in the world for technology. Plans by Amazon.com Inc for a huge new corporate campus in Queens would have cemented New York’s status as an East Coast alternative to Silicon Valley. 

Then Amazon abruptly pulled the plug, giving in to fierce opposition from local politicians and community organizers, and taking its pledge of 25,000 high-paying tech jobs off the table. The move could be a blow to the city’s booming tech industry, experts said.