BREAKING NEWS
KC hopes serious approach will win Google contest
KC hopes serious approach will win Google contest
Posted: 04/12/2010
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City has about 5,400 fans on the Facebook page for its Google application.
The application were due Friday at 7 p.m. KC time.
About 600 cities across the U.S. are expected to compete in Google's contest for a new, high tech future.
Kansas City officials put a banner at the top of City Hall to promote their Google application. Google plans to pick one city where it will build, for free, an ultra-high speed network.
As Rick Usher finalizes the city's application, his laptop freezes up while he's showing us a video.
It's a perfect symbol of what Google could do for Kansas City.
"If you want to download a movie, you'll be able to download a movie in two or three minutes rather than hours in some cases," Usher said.
Usher said it will help education and business in the city.
"We're leveraging the green impact zone, KCP&L's smart grid, the school district's initiatives, to attract Google's attention to our project," Usher said.
Around the country, cities have held parades and are using other gimmicks to promote themselves.
Mayors have jumped into lakes, or gone swimming with sharks.
Topeka changed its name to Google.
Kansas City chose a more serious approach, hoping Google will see the signs of a city that's seriously ready for the high tech experiment.
Also in the metro, Overland Park, Lenexa and North Kansas City, are among those places expected to get in applications.
One big part of the prize is that the Google will end up laying fiber optic lines all the way into Kansas City homes.
You'd still have to subscribe to the service. But the network would be built by Google at no cost to the city.
The application were due Friday at 7 p.m. KC time.
About 600 cities across the U.S. are expected to compete in Google's contest for a new, high tech future.
Kansas City officials put a banner at the top of City Hall to promote their Google application. Google plans to pick one city where it will build, for free, an ultra-high speed network.
As Rick Usher finalizes the city's application, his laptop freezes up while he's showing us a video.
It's a perfect symbol of what Google could do for Kansas City.
"If you want to download a movie, you'll be able to download a movie in two or three minutes rather than hours in some cases," Usher said.
Usher said it will help education and business in the city.
"We're leveraging the green impact zone, KCP&L's smart grid, the school district's initiatives, to attract Google's attention to our project," Usher said.
Around the country, cities have held parades and are using other gimmicks to promote themselves.
Mayors have jumped into lakes, or gone swimming with sharks.
Topeka changed its name to Google.
Kansas City chose a more serious approach, hoping Google will see the signs of a city that's seriously ready for the high tech experiment.
Also in the metro, Overland Park, Lenexa and North Kansas City, are among those places expected to get in applications.
One big part of the prize is that the Google will end up laying fiber optic lines all the way into Kansas City homes.
You'd still have to subscribe to the service. But the network would be built by Google at no cost to the city.
Copyright 2010 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
PRINT
Latest News
-
Evacs ordered in large Arizona wildfire
Click inside for the latest information about the Doce Fire, burning near Prescott, Ariz., from the Prescott National and U.S. Forest Service.
-
Liberty couple admits to embezzlement
-
Kan. county bans fireworks
-
Zimmerman jury selection hits next step
-
Shooting probed in North Kansas City
