NEW YORK - The Big Apple on Thursday learned it is one of 20 cities being considered by Amazon for its second headquarters.

The Seattle-based online retail giant plans to invest $5 billion in the new headquarters and could employ as many as 50,000 people in and around the city it chooses.

Dozens of cities and towns across the U.S., including several upstate, have been trying to lure the company which has revolutionized the way people shop.

If New York is selected in the end, possible locations for the coveted HQ2 could be Long Island City, Midtown West, the Financial District, and the Brooklyn Tech Triangle.

The list released on Thursday includes the cities of Atlanta, Austin, Texas, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; Columbus, Ohio. It also listed northern Virginia and Montgomery County in Maryland as potential sites.

Amazon says it will make its final decision sometime this year.