Amazon is in "late-stage talks" with Dallas, New York City and odds-on favorite Northern Virginia for its prized $5 billion second headquarters, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The Journal's report, posted online Sunday afternoon and citing "people familiar with the matter," followed a similarly sourced story in the Washington Post on Saturday that indicated Crystal City, Va., will be the chosen location. Located right across from Washington, D.C. along the Potomac River, Crystal City is often cited as the frontrunner for the project that'll create as many as 50,000 jobs over the next decade.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings declined Sunday through a spokesman to discuss the Journal's report. Darren Grubb, spokesman for the Dallas Regional Chamber, which coordinated the region's bid, also declined comment.

Dallas and Austin are among 20 finalists Amazon identified in January for HQ2. Amazon's self-imposed deadline to pick a winner is year's end. As 2018 winds down, it's driving a new round of conjecture and early land speculation in Crystal City.

Last week's announcement of a pending $33 million sale of the former Dallas Morning News building at Young and Houston Streets seems to be fueling some of the Dallas speculation.

High-profile developer KDC and partner Hoque Global, who together made a separate pitch for HQ2 on a building site near Dallas City Hall, signed a contract to acquire the downtown property that includes additional compensation if Amazon selects The News' former headquarters. The News' parent company disclosed the contract in a regulatory filing.

The News site, along with neighboring property that once housed Reunion Arena, was among dozens of North Texas locations pitched to Amazon.

Another tip to Dallas comes from a Washington Post story that tracked where Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' private jet traveled this year, suggesting it could be an indicator of Amazon's decision-making progress. The report said Bezos' jet flew to Dallas three times and noted his rocket company, Blue Origin, conducts test flights from a launch pad in West Texas. The Post also said Dallas was a strong contender for its workforce and low cost of doing business.

The Washington Post reports generated a rebuke from Mike Grella, Amazon's director of economic development public policy, who took to Twitter to mock the stories. (Bezos owns the Washington Post.)

"Memo to the genius leaking info about Crystal City, VA as #HQ2 selection. You're not doing Crystal City, VA any favors. And stop treating the NDA you signed like a used napkin," Grella said in a tweet on Saturday.

A second tweet said Bezos' travels may reveal that "the finalists are apparently Davos, Sun Valley, Rome and Hollywood," also locations where the private jet recently landed.

Amazon received proposals from 238 cities after it set off a frenzy in September 2017 when it announced it would entertain bids to accommodate its future growth beyond Seattle.

The public courting that followed led cities and states to inventory what they have to offer a growing technology company and work on weaknesses. It also put a spotlight on whether tax breaks totaling into the billions would be wise for cities with aging infrastructures.

The Journal said Amazon now could be in various stages of "fluid and fast-moving" negotiations with what appears to be a dwindling list of contenders.

Amazon is "anything but predictable," the Journal reported being told by one of the people familiar with ongoing negotiations in Virginia.

It also noted that the e-commerce giant could opt to place smaller operations in runner-up cities not chosen for HQ2.

Twitter: @MariaHalkias