Jeff Bezos Makes 'Emotional Decision' To Shift Base To Miami, Shares Throwback Video Of Seattle Garage Where Amazon Began

Amazon.com Inc AMZN founder Jeff Bezos confirmed through an Instagram post that he is moving out of his longtime home in Seattle and is shifting base to Miami, Florida.

What Happened: Bezos said the decision was precipitated by his parents recently moving to Miami and his Blue Origin space venture’s operations shifting increasingly to Cape Canaveral, a cape in Brevard County, Florida, near the Sunshine State’s Atlantic coast.

Sharing a throwback video of a young Bezos at his Seattle garage from where he worked during the initial days of Amazon, the billionaire said, “My parents have always been my biggest supporters. They recently moved back to Miami, the place we lived when I was younger (Miami Palmetto High Class of '82 — GO Panthers!),” he said.

“I want to be close to my parents, and Lauren [Sanchez] and I love Miami,” he added. After divorcing his first wife MacKenzie Scott in 2019, Bezos got engaged to Sanchez earlier this year.

“Also, Blue Origin's operations are increasingly shifting to Cape Canaveral. For all that, I'm planning to return to Miami, leaving the Pacific Northwest,” the billionaire said.

Blue Origin first set shop in Cape Canaveral by leasing Launch Complex 36 in 2015 to build a launch pad for its orbital launch vehicle New Glenn. The factory was completed by 2020 and began constructing New Glenn prototypes by 2021.

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Acknowledging his emotional connection with Seattle, Bezos said in the post, “I've lived in Seattle longer than I've lived anywhere else and have so many amazing memories here.”

“As exciting as the move is, it's an emotional decision for me. Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart,” he added.

Why It’s Important: Bezos and Amazon have transformed Seattle into a technology hub and the e-commerce retail giant is still the city’s biggest private employer.

After growing Amazon into the 800-pound gorilla of the e-commerce industry, Bezos stepped down as its CEO in July 2021, 27 years after he founded the company. He transitioned to the role of the executive chairman leaving the reins to Andy Jassy.

He founded Blue Origin in 2000 and also owns the Washington Post.

Bezos’ move to Miami appears to be a well-thought-out plan. Bloomberg in mid-October reported that the businessman has agreed to pay $79 million for a seven-bedroom mansion in Indian Creek, a man-made barrier island in the Miami area. Earlier in June, he bought the home adjacent to the mansion by paying $68 million.

Miami has become one of the favored destinations for entrepreneurs and high-profile public figures. Among those who have lapped up mansions in Miami are hedge fund tycoons Ken Griffin, Dan Loeb, and Josh Harris as well as soccer star Lionel Messi.

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