Chicago among cities vying for 2nd Amazon headquarters

(Mike Seyfang/Flickr)

A spokesman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel says Chicago plans to pursue Amazon's second headquarters.

Amazon on Thursday announced that it's hunting for a second home outside Seattle. The company said it will spend more than $5 billion to house as many as 50,000 employees.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Emanuel spokesman Grant Klinzman says the mayor has spoken with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos about choosing Chicago for the site. Klinzman says Chicago plans to respond to Amazon's request for proposals.

Bezos says the company plans to stay in its sprawling Seattle headquarters and the new space will be "a full equal" of its current home.

Cities and states have a little more than a month to apply and the company said it will make a final decision next year.