FILE PHOTO: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during a news conference about Amazon's headquarters expansion to Long Island City in the Queens borough of New York City, in New York, U.S., November 13, 2018. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

(Reuters) - New York Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized Amazon.com Inc for walking away from a plan to establish a headquarters in the city in the face of political opposition, saying the company “threw away” an opportunity and failed to work with the community.

“You have to be tough to make it in New York City... We have the best talent in the world and every day we are growing a stronger and fairer economy for everyone,” De Blasio said in a statement on Thursday. “If Amazon can’t recognize what that’s worth, its competitors will.”

Amazon did not immediately respond to the mayor’s statement.