Amazon releases list of metro areas it’s considering for second headquarters

Amazon.com has released a list of 20 regions in the United States and Canada that the online retail giant is considering as a possible site for its second headquarters.

The list, released Thursday, includes major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta, as well as smaller communities including Pittsburgh, Raleigh and Nashville.

The nation's capital is heavily represented, with D.C., northern Virginia and the Maryland suburb of Montgomery County also making the cut.

Amazon has said it is seeking an international hub with strong educational institutions and high quality of life that can support as many as 50,000 future employees. (Amazon chief executive, Jeff Bezos, owns the Washington Post.)

Other areas Amazon is weighing include Toronto, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Denver, Austin, Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Miami.