• "I think it's a sad day for New York," says Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. "This was a long-term investment in the city."
  • The Seattle-based tech giant decided against building part of its so-called HQ2 in the Long Island City neighborhood after facing pressure from a chorus of local, state and congressional officials. 
  • "I wish Amazon had stuck it out a little bit longer, because in the long term I believe that this would have been a good deal for both," Meeks says.

New York is missing out on billions of dollars in investments now that Amazon has canceled plans to add corporate offices in the borough of Queens, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told CNBC on Thursday.

"I think it's a sad day for New York," the congressman said on "Closing Bell." "This was a long-term investment in the city."

The development would have included 25,000 jobs — many paying $150,000 or more — that could have diversified New York's economy beyond financial services and helped defend against an economic downturn, said Meeks, whose congressional district covers much of Queens.

Amazon backed out of the deal "a little too quickly in my estimation," he said.

....

Amazon said it backed off the plans because "a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us" even though "polls show that 70 percent of New Yorkers support our plans and investment."

Gianaris shrugged off the poll results Amazon cited, saying Amazon had commissioned the poll itself. His reasons for opposing the deal include the company's anti-union stance and inclination to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "I do not think it's a good idea anywhere in this country to be throwing subsidies around to companies that don't need it because they're extorting us for their presence," Gianaris said.