Maryland Gov. Hogan: 'Really good chance' new Amazon headquarters will come to Montgomery County

BETHESDA, Md. - Gov. Larry Hogan said there is a "really good chance" the much sought-after second headquarters for Amazon will be delivered to Maryland. The prediction comes after he cast concerns over how the next county executive in Montgomery County might hurt the effort to land Amazon.

On Tuesday, Hogan said he has been hearing from local leaders concerned that Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich's possible election as Montgomery County Executive would discourage Amazon from picking the county as the site of its new headquarters. Elrich won the Democratic nomination for county executive.

Montgomery County is one of 20 locations, and the only one in Maryland, on Amazon's shortlist of candidates.

Two days later, Hogan was in Bethesda for a talk at the Economic Club of Washington D.C., and he stressed his close work with current County Executive Ike Leggett for his optimism to land Amazon by the end of the year.

"I think it's a really good chance it's going to happen," said Hogan. "We are already on the shortlist. We had a great presentation with them. Ike Leggett, the county executive here in Montgomery County - we're a team, again a bipartisan effort working together, and I believe we have an excellent chance."

Two weeks ago, Elrich sent a letter to Amazon reassuring the company that if elected as county executive, he would honor any commitments made by the current administration.

However, former Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan told FOX 5 he has heard the same concerns as Hogan and that Elrich needs to do more to reassure companies that Montgomery County would be business-friendly.

"I do think there is some concern, certainly in the business community, that Marc Elrich sends the wrong signal to Amazon about being a business-friendly climate here in Montgomery County and that's why he wrote the letter to Amazon saying that's not true," said Duncan. "The problem is that letter sort of belies his 12 years on the council."

FOX 5 reached out to Elrich for comment about Hogan's comments and the Amazon bid, but his office declined our interview request.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will speak to the Economic Club of Washington D.C. next month in D.C.