Topeka Vs. Duluth in Battle for Google Broadband

(March 4) -- Just how far will a city go to become the trial location for Google Fiber, the Web giant's new "ultra-high-speed broadband network"?

Topeka, Kan., made its campaign known this week, changing the city's name to Google, Kan., for the month of March.

In Duluth, Minn., officials responded with a tongue-in-cheek YouTube video proclaiming that every first-born male or female in the city will henceforth be re-named Google or Googlette Fiber. They're just kidding, but the video directs residents to a real Web site aiming to show Google "the community's passion for fiber."

Not since various Springfields in the U.S. battled to host the premiere of "The Simpsons" movie has a competition so desperately pitted friendly cities against each other. Grand Rapids, Mich., and Baton Rouge, La., are among the other cities vying to be blessed with Google Fiber, though they have yet to begin any public pleading beyond Facebook support pages.
"It's just fun," Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten told CNN after signing the proclamation that re-named his city Google. "We're having a good time of it."

Duluth Mayor Don Ness said its video parody pitch was "all in good fun" too -- but the prospect of super-speedy Web content 100 times faster than typical service has prompted a few digs at rival Topeka.

"Please remember that just because Topeka was the first to make an obnoxious symbolic gesture to suck up to the good folks there at Google, doesn't mean that we cant suck up even more," a fictional mayor says in the parody. "Cast aside all dignity and self-respect because that is what it's going to take if we are going to beat the good folks of Topeka, Kansas -- I mean, Google, Kansas."

In another viral video, Ness jumps into icy Lake Superior to highlight Duluth's campaign.

"We're doing this for a couple of great reasons, to support the Special Olympics ... and we also want to promote bringing Google Fiber to Duluth," Ness said to a crowd of supporters. "Let's hear it for Google Fiber!"

Topeka's Bunten admitted that beneath all the sucking up, there is serious business for the winner of Google Fiber. He told CNN the service could boost business development and make Topeka a more attractive place for youth.

"To have this high-speed where people can sit down and have lunch and still keep working is a positive for young people," he said. "The young people are the ones that caught onto this and go to the Internet and asked people in the city to sign on as supporting Google coming to Topeka."

A Google spokeswoman, Erin Fors, declined to comment on specific cities, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper. Google is asking interested communities to submit information via Google, of course, through March 26.

Despite his city's strike-back at Topeka, Duluth Mayor Ness said he wishes his competitor well.

"Topeka is a very fine city, and we are impressed with your enthusiasm to bring Google fiber to your community," he said in the video.

Now back to the groveling.