Amazon slammed by protesters as 'Grinch that stole our homes' over planned Nashville hub

Nashville activists took aim at Amazon during a protest and march Tuesday night, warning that the company's planned downtown hub would drive up costs of housing in a city already dominated by gentrification.

About 50 people converged on Church Street near the site of the under-construction Nashville Yards, the future redevelopment of the former Lifeway property where Amazon's new Operations Center of Excellence is slated to be built and bring 5,000 new jobs. 

They then marched to the Metro courthouse to voice their concerns while holding signs that read "No Amazon, "Nay-zos to Jeff Bezos," "Amazon the Grinch," and "Amazon Equals Rent Hikes."

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Group also fought transit referendum 

The protest came from the People's Alliance for Transit, Housing and Employment, a left-leaning organization that formed earlier this year to fight Nashville's $5.4 billion transit referendum proposal that lost at the polls. 

"No welfare for billionaires!" the group chanted, slamming the world's third most valuable company, as they marched on sidewalks for the short 10-block hike. 

They called Amazon "the Grinch that stole our homes," demanding that Mayor David Briley and the Metro Council "put the people's needs" before a corporation.

"We want to hear, what is Metro's plan to deal with deal with Amazon coming to Nashville?" said Tamika Douglas, a PATHE member and Nashville resident of 25 years. "We have so many people who have already been displaced in the city. We need to address that. We don't have enough housing.

"And also the housing and the infrastructure: How are we going to deal with the influx of 5,000 more people?"

More:Nashville council members: No Amazon incentives if Metro workers don't get pay increases

Demands to minimize the harm' from Amazon'

Organizers aren't attempting to stop Amazon's arrival to Nashville, necessarily — but they've outlined some demands to "minimize the harm" they argue the deal would have on Nashville's working class. 

They want Metro to fund the construction of at least 5,000 additional affordable homes to address the "Amazon effect," draft a new transit referendum that puts "focuses on the needs of working people first" and pull back financial incentives already offered to Amazon.

"A move like Amazon, if it's not carefully planned out — if you're not looking at all the unanticipated fallout from a move like that — then a lot of people are going to be suffering," said Jackie Simms, a PATHE organizer. "A lot of people are going to be displaced. A lot of people won't be able to get to their jobs. 

"There a lot of things we need to think long and hard about so this is a good move. We want Amazon to be a good neighbor."

More:Here is what Amazon's Nashville 'Operations Center of Excellence' will look like

Briley promises to continue to invest' in Nashvillians

Briley's administration has proposed $15 million in city incentives for the Amazon hub that the council will consider for final approval. It's part of a $102 million incentive package when also factoring in the state of Tennessee's significantly larger contribution.

In a statement on Tuesday's protest, Briley spokesman Thomas Mulgrew said the mayor's top priority is "working to spread equity and economic opportunity to everyone in Nashville."

"His work in getting the disparity legislation over the finish line and the Nashville GRAD initiative are the latest examples of this commitment," he said, referring two recent proposal from Briley. "The mayor will continue to invest in the people who currently call Nashville home, as the city continues to attract outside business and investment."

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The new hub fell short of Nashville's initial HQ2 pursuit to become Amazon's second headquarters, a split designation awarded to northern Virginia and New York City. But the third-place prize has been heralded by city and state officials who saw it as appropriate for Nashville's infrastructure and talent base. It marked the largest jobs announcement in Nashville and Tennessee history.

The new Amazon hub will be responsible for the company's customer fulfillment, transportation, supply chain and other similar activities. The Nashville jobs will include management and tech-focused positions, including software developers.

Amazon has said the average salary of the 5,000 new Nashville jobs will be $150,000 and that it will recruit both locally and nationally for the jobs.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitte @joeygarrison.