Farmington drives hard to entice Google

FARMINGTON, N.M. (KREZ-KRQE) - Google is looking for communities to build and test its ultra high-speed broadband network and the city of Farmington thinks it’s the perfect place for the project.

The city created a task force to assemble a request for information to submit to Google.

“We’ve got seven days to go as of today,” task force chairman Jack Little told his fellow task force members.

This weekend they are putting the finishing touches on the application, which must be submitted by March 26.

"I think that they will pick more than one, but beyond that I don't know, that's their decision not our decision," Little said. "We're just in competition to make sure they select us.""

If selected Google would build and test its 1-gigabit-per-second fiber-to-the-home broadband network in the city. The “ultra high-speed” internet would allow people to search the web at speeds up to 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to.

“We've got an area where we need to have this; it’s critical,” Little said.

Little and other task force members said it’s critical because of Farmington’s rural location and the isolation that comes with it. They believe the project would open up a new world of opportunities for economic growth and development, allowing not only the city but the entire county to diversify their sources of income.

“We don't have railroads, we don't have an interstate, a lot of those things that economic development folks look for when their trying to site new companies, but one of the things we do have is a great fiber-optic backbone that comes through the community,” task force member Tom Taylor said.

They’re hoping that fact coupled with government and community support will entice Google to pick them.

Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., have both written letters to Google’s CEO on behalf of Farmington’s efforts and encouraging Google to select Farmington for its project.

Google is accepting nominations in support of the cities which can be done through the Farmington task force Web site.

Late Friday a spokesman for Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry said Albuquerque would also be applying for the Google project.