What a great time it is for Kansas City! Google Fiber is finally here--well almost. But it’s still a cause for celebration and makes for an exciting time to be a Kansas Citian. Our little ol’ town beat out more than 1,100 communities to be Google’s proving ground for its new Internet service. This is no small accomplishment.

Any why wouldn’t Google pick us? From a central geographic location to affordable real estate, the Kansas City area has a lot to offer. Kansas City consistently ranks high among the nation’s most affordable metropolitan areas. KC-area real estate is considerably more affordable than most other parts of the country. We have one of the best commute times, too. Forty-five percent of area commuters travel twenty minutes or less to get to work. This gives the KC area the 8th best average commute time in the U.S.

Kansas City has a rich history of nurturing creativity, and we put a premium on creative capital. We rank 6th in the country for commercial/industrial designers and 12th for in the number of architects. The Crossroads Arts District helps KC rank 7th in the number of visual artists. We also offer wide array of cultural and sporting events at the Sprint Center, Kauffman Stadium, the Power and Light district, the Nelson-Atkins, and the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Employers in Kansas City have access to a workforce of more than 1 million. Ninety percent of area residents have high school diplomas and 32 percent have a four-year degree--that’s 5 percent higher than the national average! Our area has strong community college systems and is also home to many four-year colleges and universities.

And who could forget our barbecue restaurants? We have dozens to choose from: Arthur Bryant’s, Jack Stack, Gates, and Oklahoma Joe’s. I’m sure the Silicon Valley folks will find something to their liking.

Talented labor pool, innovative and creative industries, and affordable real estate come together to make Kansas City truly the nation’s best kept secret. Thanks to Google Fiber, we can now add top-notch telecommunications infrastructure to all that our area has to offer. This is a proud moment for us all.

 Donald R. Simon, J.D./LL.M., is president and CEO of Simon Business Consulting, Inc., a firm providing consulting services such as business and marketing plan development, incorporations, intellectual property advising, franchising regulatory assistance, and presentations on the basics of starting a small business. Send questions or comments to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This blog is provided as a source of information and is not to be construed as legal advice or opinion, or to form an attorney-client relationship. For legal advice, please consult an attorney.