In a recent letter, a reader from Kennebunk, Ben Longworth, suggested that Amazon look into making Portland the site of its second North American headquarters. The writer even recommended Riverside Municipal Golf Course as the ideal place to locate such a facility.

Before this goes any further, I’d like to say, “Hold on, now.”

While I agree that Maine should pursue this matter with Amazon and the 50,000 jobs it may bring, I feel strongly that historic old Riverside is not the place for any development such as this.

Amazon officials need only look at Riverside in the spring, when more than half the land there serves its other purpose in addition to being a golf course: It’s a floodplain during times when the mighty Presumpscot River rises up over its banks.

Being in the floodplain has saved Riverside at other times when developers get ideas for what to do with a piece of Portland that appears underused.

I assure the writer that the course is not underused. In fact, since it’s in the floodplain, I would argue that being a golf course is the land’s highest and best use.

There are many sites in Maine more suitable as Amazon’s headquarters.

If it were me, I’d start my search in Kennebunk.

Will Bartlett

Portland