Akron to become digital superstar

Akron is about to become a digital superstar.

Here’s the lead on the play story in the Akron Beacon Journal by staff writer Jim Carney:

The city will become the national headquarters of a multi-million dollar think tank that will help communities bring the online world to more people.

And at the same time, Akron will be a model of universal, free access to the World Wide Web with the creation of a wireless Internet access corridor covering about 10 square miles in the central part of the city.

Those plans were shared today by officials from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the city of Akron, and the nonprofit group OneCommunity during a press conference at Akron's Knight Center in downtown Akron.

The foundation announced it will spend $15 million during the next five years — including $4.5 million this year — to establish the Knight Center for Digital Excellence in Akron, likely somewhere in the downtown area. The center will employ 16 people, officials said.

The center is part of a $25 million initiative by the Knight Foundation during the next five years to accelerate digital access projects in 26 Knight Foundation communities, including Akron.

In addition, the Knight Foundation said it would provide $625,000 of the $2.2 million needed to create the wireless corridor in Akron.

When the Akron corridor is up and running by the end of this year, people with wireless-ready computers will be able to tap into the Internet for free within the district.

The district includes downtown, the University of Akron, museums, all three downtown hospitals and neighborhoods in North Hill, East Akron and Highland Square, along with Goodyear and Lockheed Martin, the Helen Arnold School and the Urban League, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic said.

Plusquellic said he has signed a ''memorandum of understanding'' with OneCommunity and will recommend that Akron City Council approve a five-year commitment of about $800,000 toward the design, deployment and operation of the wireless corridor in Akron.

The University of Akron has pledged another $350,000 to the corridor because the University Park area is part of the district, Plusquellic said.

The city's six-term mayor said the free wireless corridor will cover about 80,000 to 90,000 residents and about 31,000 workers.

Click on the headline to read the full story by Carney.