Fiber Not City?s Main Draw (Editorial)

Fayetteville is leaning toward privatizing its long-awaited fiberpark. We think parceling off and selling the 134-acre project, adjacent to the University of Arkansas’ Genesis Technology Incubator off South School Avenue, is the right idea.

The fiberpark, a high-tech haven to be wired for firms that need Internet speed, awaits what should be a couple of minor regulatory stepping stones before early site work can begin. That’s good news, but months of hubbub have passed with no mention of the obvious.

It’s only taken a decade to get to this point. Having to hula through regulatory and political hoops, including some of its own, caused the city to fall behind in the race to recruit high-wage, high-tech jobs.

Fiberparks were a recruiting advantage when they became en vogue — 10 years ago. Now every city of consequence, including Rogers and Springdale, already has fiber. Those two cities even have wireless connectivity available in certain areas.

It’s not that fiber is outdated. It’s still an excellent tool for home or business use, and we expect the city to eventually sell all of its lots. (They’ll go for $25,000 to $40,000 each).

But its sex appeal has diminished, and the real attraction for outsiders to locate here is not fiber. It’s the area’s academic and business synergies.

Aicha Elshabini, arguably the nation’s foremost academician on wireless technology, is on the UA campus. IfWorld Inc. is developing software for wireless leader Qualcomm Inc. Beta-Rubicon Inc., Virtual Satellite Corp., Virtual Incubator Corp., Space Photonics Inc. and Integral Wave Technologies all have marketable innovations.

Even Oklahoma City’s Aaro Broadband Wireless Communications Inc. is bringing “last mile” connectivity to the area.

In 1999, when the Business Journal wrote that Fayetteville’s first proposed fiberpark by the Fulbright Expressway — now a casualty of wetland regs and darting fish — was a flop, city officials were incredulous.

Of course it was still viable, of course firms would flock there, just be more patient, they said. Two years later it’s still Arkansas’ premier high-tech hay field.

The $610,000 worth of fiber Southwestern Bell laid at the old site — not as a donation as has been reported, but as part of a 1994 settlement with the Arkansas Public Service Commission — is so far a wash. The new park won’t be because the city is committed to selling to developers, and because of the local high-tech talent pool.