SUNNYVALE, CA ― As fans eagerly await the return of NFL football, Google and Hollywood Park today announced a multi-year partnership for Google Cloud to power SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park’s digital innovation experiences—and YouTube to become the official video streaming sponsor of the Rams, Chargers, SoFi Stadium, and Hollywood Park, with more details to be announced later this year.
“Google is a world-class company, leading the way in technology,” said Jason Gannon, managing director, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “Their innovation and services are a critical component to deliver Stan Kroenke’s vision to create the ultimate sports and entertainment destination, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park.” Google will drive both business operations and consumer experiences at the 298-acre sports and entertainment destination, which is being developed by Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. SoFi Stadium will host the Super Bowl in 2022, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics in 2028, and many other marquee events. Google Cloud technology will help transform the site into a premier entertainment destination in several key ways:
A “personal concierge” app, powered by Google Cloud and built by Deloitte, will help fans discover SoFi Stadium events; wayfind within the stadium; locate parking; optimize transportation for game day (including up-to-the-minute Google Maps routing); provide digital credentials for building, club, and suite entry; and present personalized offers for tickets, food, shopping, and more.
Cloud-based media workflow and optimization will power the largest video board in sports. Working with Google Cloud engineers and using the latest in cloud technologies, Hollywood Park will be able to efficiently store digital content, as well as prep, transfer, and present groundbreaking video on game day.
Advanced data analytics will track business performance and enable Hollywood Park to offer unique and personal recommendations to fans and guests. Using Google Cloud products such as Cloud Scheduler, App Engine, Dataflow, BigQuery, and more, Hollywood Park will be able to store and analyze data from multiple sources; create operational dashboards with real-time data; track key performance indicators after events; and better forecast attendance, revenue by product, and other important business metrics.
Modern collaboration tools from Google Cloud’s G Suite software—including Gmail for business, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Meet—will help Hollywood Park employees work faster and smarter, and meet safely and securely from anywhere.
In the future, Google and SoFi Stadium will explore media streaming and high-speed wireless solutions to enable visitors to get replays, unique angles, and exclusive 4K coverage on their mobile phones while attending events at SoFi Stadium. In addition, SoFi Stadium will have the world’s first 4K/HDR live production capabilities within a sports facility.
“It’s an incredible honor to work with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park as they create an interactive, smart experience destination enjoyed by sports and entertainment fans, residents and shoppers alike,” said Rob Enslin, global president, Google Cloud. “This partnership shows the world what’s possible when you combine the power of data with the excitement of entertainment and sports, and we’re excited that Google Cloud will underpin the visitor experience.”
“We couldn’t have picked a better partner to manage our technology needs,” said Skarpi Hedinsson, chief technology officer, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “Incorporating Google’s solutions into critical areas of our business ensures we can usher in a new era of innovation in sports and entertainment, raising the bar on what the ultimate fan experience looks like globally.”
“A special thank you to our partner Legends, and their Global Partnerships group, which sourced, negotiated, and represented SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park in securing this comprehensive technology and marketing partnership. They continue to work as best-in-class partners to bring innovation and unique brand engagements,” said Gannon.
― September 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ Images: Sofi and Google
Zoom deploys Oracle Cloud within hours; enables millions of meeting participants within weeks
Redwood Shores, CA — Today Oracle announced that Zoom Video Communications, Inc. is turning to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to support its growth and evolving business needs as the enterprise video communications company continues to innovate and provide an essential service to its extensive customer base.
“We recently experienced the most significant growth our business has ever seen, requiring massive increases in our service capacity. We explored multiple platforms, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure was instrumental in helping us quickly scale our capacity and meet the needs of our new users,” said Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan. “We chose Oracle Cloud Infrastructure because of its industry-leading security, outstanding performance, and unmatched level of support.”
To meet rapidly increasing demand for its services, including a sudden spike to 300 million daily meeting participants, Zoom needed additional cloud capacity immediately. Zoom selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure for its advantages in performance, scalability, reliability and superior cloud security. Within hours of deployment, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure supported hundreds of thousands of concurrent Zoom meeting participants. After achieving full production, Zoom is now enabling millions of simultaneous meeting participants on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Oracle’s second-generation cloud infrastructure will help Zoom scale to continue to deliver flawless service to its customer base, adapt to changing demands, and lead the video communications industry.
“Video communications has become an essential part of our professional and personal lives, and Zoom has led this industry’s innovation,” said Oracle CEO Safra Catz. “We are proud to work with Zoom, as both their cloud infrastructure provider and as a customer, while they grow and continue to connect businesses, people and governments around the world.”
Oracle is uniquely positioned to enable Zoom’s rapid expansion and innovative video communications platform, due to its network architecture, capacity and data center locations. Already, Zoom is transferring upwards of seven petabytes through Oracle Cloud Infrastructure servers each day, roughly equivalent to 93 years of HD video. Oracle’s second-generation cloud infrastructure, combined with expertise in security, will support Zoom in delivering an enterprise-ready video communications experience.
The Oracle Cloud offers a complete suite of integrated applications for Sales, Service, Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Supply Chain and Manufacturing, plus Highly Automated and Secure Generation 2 Infrastructure featuring the Oracle Autonomous Database.
Amazon Selects New York City and Northern Virginia for New Headquarters
SEATTLE—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Nov. 13, 2018 — Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced that it has selected New York City and Arlington, Virginia, as the locations for the company’s new headquarters. Amazon will invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs across the two new headquarters locations, with more than 25,000 employees each in New York City (BDPA-NY) and Arlington (BDPA NoVA). The new locations will join Seattle as the company’s three headquarters in North America. In addition, Amazon announced that it has selected Nashville for a new Center of Excellence for its Operations business, which is responsible for the company’s customer fulfillment, transportation, supply chain, and other similar activities. The Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville will create more than 5,000 jobs.
The new Washington, D.C. metro headquarters in Arlington will be located in National Landing, and the New York City headquarters will be located in the Long Island City neighborhood in Queens. Amazon’s investments in each new headquarters will spur the creation of tens of thousands of additional jobs in the surrounding communities. Hiring at both the new headquarters will begin in 2019. The Operations Center of Excellence will be located in downtown Nashville as part of a new development site just north of the Gulch, and hiring will also begin in 2019.
“We are excited to build new headquarters in New York City and Northern Virginia,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. “These two locations will allow us to attract world-class talent that will help us to continue inventing for customers for years to come. The team did a great job selecting these sites, and we look forward to becoming an even bigger part of these communities.”
Amazon in Long Island City in New York City
Located just across the East River from Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side, Long Island City is a mixed-use community where arts and industry intersect. It is a diverse community with a unique blend of cultural institutions, arts organizations, new and converted housing, restaurants, bars, breweries, waterfront parks, hotels, academic institutions, and small and large tech sector and industrial businesses. Long Island City has some of the best transit access in New York City, with 8 subway lines, 13 bus lines, commuter rail, a bike-sharing service, and ferries serving the area, and LaGuardia and JFK airports are in close proximity.
As part of Amazon’s new headquarters, New York and Long Island City will benefit from more than 25,000 full-time high-paying jobs; approximately $2.5 billion in Amazon investment; 4 million square feet of energy-efficient office space with an opportunity to expand to 8 million square feet; and an estimated incremental tax revenue of more than $10 billion over the next 20 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation.
Amazon will receive performance-based direct incentives of $1.525 billion based on the company creating 25,000 jobs in Long Island City. This includes a refundable tax credit through New York State’s Excelsior Program of up to $1.2 billion calculated as a percentage of the salaries Amazon expects to pay employees over the next 10 years, which equates to $48,000 per job for 25,000 jobs with an average wage of over $150,000; and a cash grant from Empire State Development of $325 million based on the square footage of buildings occupied in the next 10 years. Amazon will receive these incentives over the next decade based on the incremental jobs it creates each year and as it reaches building occupancy targets. The company will separately apply for as-of-right incentives including New York City’s Industrial & Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP) and New York City’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP).
The community will benefit from New York City providing funding through a Payment In Lieu Of Tax (PILOT) program based on Amazon’s property taxes on a portion of the development site to fund community infrastructure improvements developed through input from residents during the planning process. Amazon has agreed to donate space on its campus for a tech startup incubator and for use by artists and industrial businesses, and Amazon will donate a site for a new primary or intermediary public school. The company will also invest in infrastructure improvements and new green spaces.
“When I took office, I said we would build a new New York State – one that is fiscally responsible and fosters a business climate that is attractive to growing companies and the industries of tomorrow. We’ve delivered on those promises and more, and today, with Amazon committing to expand its headquarters in Long Island City, New York can proudly say that we have attracted one of the largest, most competitive economic development investments in U.S. history,” said Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York. “With an average salary of $150,000 per year for the tens of thousands of new jobs Amazon is creating in Queens, economic opportunity and investment will flourish for the entire region. Amazon understands that New York has everything the company needs to continue its growth. The State’s more than $100 billion transportation infrastructure program – the most ambitious in our history – combined with our education initiatives like K-12 tech education and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship program, will help ensure long-term success and an unrivaled talent pool for Amazon.”
“This is a giant step on our path to building an economy in New York City that leaves no one behind. We are thrilled that Amazon has selected New York City for its new headquarters,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. “New Yorkers will get tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs, and Amazon will get the best talent anywhere in the world. We’re going to use this opportunity to open up good careers in tech to thousands of people looking for their foothold in the new economy, including those in City colleges and public housing. The City and State are working closely together to make sure Amazon’s expansion is planned smartly, and to ensure this fast growing neighborhood has the transportation, schools, and infrastructure it needs.”
Amazon in National Landing in Arlington, Virginia
National Landing is an urban community in Northern Virginia located less than 3 miles from downtown Washington, D.C. The area is served by 3 Metro stations, commuter rail access, and Reagan National Airport – all within walking distance. The community has a variety of hotels, restaurants, high-rise apartment buildings, retail, and commercial offices. National Landing has abundant parks and open space with sports and cultural events for residents of all ages throughout the year.
As part of Amazon’s new headquarters, Virginia and Arlington will benefit from more than 25,000 full-time high-paying jobs; approximately $2.5 billion in Amazon investment; 4 million square feet of energy-efficient office space with the opportunity to expand to 8 million square feet; and an estimated incremental tax revenue of $3.2 billion over the next 20 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation.
Amazon will receive performance-based direct incentives of $573 million based on the company creating 25,000 jobs with an average wage of over $150,000 in Arlington. This includes a workforce cash grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia of up to $550 million based on $22,000 for each job created over the next 12 years. Amazon will only receive this incentive if it creates the forecasted high-paying jobs. The company will also receive a cash grant from Arlington of $23 million over 15 years based on the incremental growth of the existing local Transient Occupancy Tax, a tax on hotel rooms.
The community and Amazon employees will benefit from the Commonwealth investing $195 million in infrastructure in the neighborhood, including improvements to the Crystal City and the Potomac Yards Metro stations; a pedestrian bridge connecting National Landing and Reagan National Airport; and work to improve safety, accessibility, and the pedestrian experience crossing Route 1 over the next 10 years. Arlington will also dedicate an estimated $28 million based on 12% of future property tax revenues earned from an existing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for on-site infrastructure and open space in National Landing.
“This is a big win for Virginia – I’m proud Amazon recognizes the tremendous assets the Commonwealth has to offer and plans to deepen its roots here,” said Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia. “Virginia put together a proposal for Amazon that we believe represents a new model of economic development for the 21st century, and I’m excited to say that our innovative approach was successful. The majority of Virginia’s partnership proposal consists of investments in our education and transportation infrastructure that will bolster the features that make Virginia so attractive: a strong and talented workforce, a stable and competitive business climate, and a world-class higher education system.”
“We are proud that Amazon has selected National Landing for a major new headquarters. This is, above all, a validation of our community’s commitment to sustainability, transit-oriented development, affordable housing, and diversity,” said Arlington County Board Chair Katie Cristol. “The strength of our workforce coupled with our proximity to the nation’s capital makes us an attractive business location. But Arlington’s real strength is the decades of planning that have produced one of the most vibrant, civically engaged communities in the world. Those plans have paved the way for this investment, and we look forward to engaging the Arlington community about Amazon’s plans and how we can grow together.”
Amazon’s new Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville
Downtown Nashville, along the Cumberland River, is the heart of the city just north of the Gulch and is home to urban living, retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, hospitality, open green spaces, and offices. The area is served by commuter rail, more than a dozen bus routes, and is a 15-minute drive to Nashville International Airport.
As part of Amazon’s investment, Tennessee, Davidson County and the city of Nashville will benefit from 5,000 full-time, high-paying jobs; over $230 million in investment; 1 million square feet of energy-efficient office space; and an estimated incremental tax revenue of more than $1 billion over the next 10 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation.
Amazon will receive performance-based direct incentives of up to $102 million based on the company creating 5,000 jobs with an average wage of over $150,000 in Nashville. This includes a cash grant for capital expenditures from the state of Tennessee of $65 million based on the company creating 5,000 jobs over the next 7 years, which is equivalent to $13,000 per job; a cash grant from the city of Nashville of up to $15 million based on $500 for each job created over the next 7 years; and a job tax credit to offset franchise and excise taxes from the state of Tennessee of $21.7 million based on $4,500 per new job over the next 7 years.
“We want to thank Amazon for its continued investment in the state of Tennessee and are excited about the additional 5,000 corporate jobs they will be creating in Nashville,” said Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee. “It has never been clearer that Tennessee is a great place to do business, and we continue to attract a wide variety of global companies that provide high-paying, quality jobs for our residents.”
“Amazon’s decision to expand its presence in Nashville is a direct result of the talented workforce and strong community we’ve built here,” said Mayor David Briley of Nashville. “These are quality, high-paying jobs that will boost our economy, provide our workers with new opportunities, and show the rest of the world that Nashville is a premiere location for business investment. We thank Amazon for investing in Nashville, and we look forward to welcoming them to this community.”
With more than 610,000 employees worldwide, including over 250,000 in North America, Amazon ranks #1 on American Customer Satisfaction Index, #2 on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies, #1 on The Harris Poll’s Corporate Reputation survey, and #1 on LinkedIn’s U.S. Top Companies, a ranking recognizing the most desirable workplaces in the country. Amazon was also recently included in the Military Times’ Best for Vets list of companies committed to providing opportunities for military veterans.
— Photos: Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Business Insider
Introducing the ‘Treacherous 12,’ the top security threats organizations face when using cloud services
by Fahmida Y. Rashid,InfoWorld
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Enterprises are no longer sitting on their hands, wondering if they should risk migrating applications and data to the cloud. They’re doing it — but security remains a serious concern. The first step in minimizing risk in the cloud is to identify the top security threats.
At the RSA Conference last week, the CSA (Cloud Security Alliance) listed the “Treacherous 12,” the top 12 cloud computing threats organizations face in 2016. The CSA released the report to help both cloud customers and providers focus their defensive efforts.
The shared, on-demand nature of cloud computing introduces the possibility of new security breaches that can erase any gains made by the switch to cloud technology, the CSA warned. Read more …
Google will drive both business operations and consumer experiences at the 298-acre sports and entertainment destination, which is being developed by Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke. SoFi Stadium will host the Super Bowl in 2022, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics in 2028, and many other marquee events. Google Cloud technology will help transform the site into a premier entertainment destination in several key ways:
“We recently experienced the most significant growth our business has ever seen, requiring massive increases in our service capacity. We explored multiple platforms, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure was instrumental in helping us quickly scale our capacity and meet the needs of our new users,” said Zoom CEO Eric S. Yuan. “We chose Oracle Cloud Infrastructure because of its industry-leading security, outstanding performance, and unmatched level of support.”
