Good effort on all fronts everyone.

If you look at the "List of government responses" from Google's page, Kansas City isn't even listed.

Lucky SOBs.

In reply to nodnetni: Especially since Topeka, KS pretended to rename itself "Google, KS."

I blame Google Goes to Twin Ports.

We still got Charter Communications!!!

Surprise! Oh, wait. No. 

You thought major infrastructure was going to be built in an area where it could expand to... nowhere? Unless it was an exercise in building a closed system, D-Town never had much of a chance. For many reasons. Including:

"...It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, a region of over two million people." [Wikipedia]

Not hatin'. Just pointing out to the shill cheerleaders that you should do some research instead of spending all your time jumping up and down.

Uh, I didn't hear that Duluth lost. Only that Kansas City, Kansas (not even the Missouri side) is the first to be picked.

Google has stated repeatedly that it could be more than one city. But in the official video from today's announcement I'd like to point out that Larry Page says quite clearly that they are "rolling out fiber to communities, starting with Kansas City":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o7bKLG3A3w&feature=player_embedded#t=78s

I wish they would be more clear about these things, but when Page says it like see, I see enough evidence to keep the faith.

Jumps up and down up and down up and down!

Is it me, or does my internet connection seem slower...?

Tony has a point.

I blame the people that blame "Google Goes to Twin Ports." And those blamers too...

Don't blame any volunteer who gave an ounce of energy to this effort. Let's take this time to thank EVERYONE who poured their heart into this thing for 3 months (and longer).

Thanks to Chris, Ben, Joe, Kate, Patrick, Ozone, Brian, Rob, Lisa, Baci, Anna, Manny, Drew, Jayson, Paul and literally hundreds more for everything you have done for this effort.

I live just south of Kansas City, KS(KCK to the locals), and until I heard about it on the local NPR station yesterday, I didn't even know that KCK was in the running.  The local KC news coverage had only talked about Topeka's goofy name changing to Google and never once mentioned anyone else in the region being in the running.  Everyone around here is kind of asking huh?  I plan on moving to Duluth soon, so I wish that Duluth had gotten it.  I'm not sure what better KCK has to offer other than a centralized location.  KCK can always use any good news.  It is usually treated as a downtrodden stepsister of Kansas City, MO and the wealthier suburbs KS suburbs to the south.

It's not as though Google Fiber was going to make us skinny or debt-free. But it did show that the community can rally behind a good idea (despite trolls, Area Voices and the DCB).

Mayor Ness is correct: we didn't lose.  We can use the energy and creativity that went in to our Google efforts for other potential new businesses.  And, I'm with Claire; Google is still going to select some other locations; maybe they're saving the best for last!

Look at it this way: maybe Duluth isn't right for what Google requires, which is the point Adam made. But maybe another company will hear about everything that Duluth did to entice Google, including that great video someone produced, I can't remember who, that showcased Duluth in all her glory. Who knows -- only good can come out of all this community spirit that so many people displayed. We might not get Google, but we may land someone else.

pbroman, I think if Google visited Duluth in the summer, when California is at its hottest and brownest, they'd be sold. Summer in Duluth is pretty glorious.

I've listened to the criticism on twitter and here and there in person, although I haven't even bothered with area voices, I rarely do.  

As far as I can tell many of the people making Monday morning quarterback prognostications were predicting the demise of this bid back in February.  2010, that is.  Others are critical now but they did little or nothing back during the campaign and quickly forgot about it til now.  In other words, they don't have much skin in the game and I'm all for discourse but that doesn't stop me from saying "put up or shut up" next time.  

On the other hand the people "in the know" who actually understand this process are expressing reasonable disappointed metered with ... gasp ... optimism that google said all along that they are looking for one OR MORE communities to roll this out in and that Duluth-Superior could certainly continue to be in the running.  

As for the Google Movie naysayers, almost no one watched the movie.  The more organic videos like the (excellent) metal head in the woods short, Al Franken's answer man, and the "fake Mayor" drew much more buzz.  But by far the most watched video of the whole campaign, as in nationwide, was the iconic video of Don Ness in his Hillsider shirt jumping into Lake Superior.  The mayor showed excellent leadership on this, and he still is.  Taking chances, being positive and not giving up are far better than sitting around and bitching about something.  Even if Google Fiber never comes this campaign was a very worthy investment just for drawing together a community with diverse perspectives around a common goal.  I can't wait to see the Mayor (and the rest of us) do that again.