Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Ground Level Blog
Dave Peters

Fiber proponent suggests data center on Lake Superior

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Paul Bergman thinks he's got an idea to boost interest in Lake County's fiber optic network, which is receiving $66 million in federal stimulus money.

Get Verizon to put a big new data center on the shores of Lake Superior.

The idea was prompted by Verizon's announcement last month that it was pulling the plug on plans to build a data center in Somerset, N.Y., which held the promise of 175 high-paying jobs and billions in investments. The center would have housed computers configured to meet Verizon's increasingly intense computing and data storage needs. The company cited a lawsuit against it and other delays.

Why not Lake County? Bergman asks. "We have land, climate; we have the water they want. We have no tornadoes; we have stable ground, no earthquakes," says Bergman, a Lake County commissioner who has been a strong proponent of the county building its own fiber network to supply broadband access to all residents.

The network, of course, would be a necessity to entice Verizon. Bergman said today that the county plans to approach Verizon in May.

Meanwhile, a Verizon spokesman didn't hold out much hope. Since its Somerset decision, the company has enhanced its data center capabilities with the purchase of an existing company, Terremark. It's "still looking at a property in Wyoming," spokesman John Bonomo wrote in an email, "but that is all at the moment."

And then, he opened the door a slight crack -- "Having said that, we are always looking at opportunities for any number of projects that we work on."