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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting —June 14, 2011 <br />is a link to that access. <br />Mr. Varner said he would like more <br />information on this. <br />Mr. Inks tried to clarify the issue. This <br />proposal from Radiant is not for the <br />Metronet. This is to the City of South Bend. <br />We are considering an eventual improvement <br />in the downtown that makes the downtown a <br />more appealing place to do business and <br />hopefully increase the number of businesses <br />we have in the downtown. The Metronet <br />allows us to take this approach to addressing <br />the issue. So, in essence, we're saying that <br />the Metronet is an asset that allows us to do <br />something that, without the Metronet, <br />wouldn't be possible. With the radios we <br />could tie into the Metronet and accomplish <br />what we want. Without the Metronet, this <br />approach doesn't work. So, the Metronet <br />becomes an asset we're taking advantage of <br />in the downtown. He isn't sure if there is a <br />fee arrangement. He hasn't heard of one yet. <br />Mr. Varner said that there is. If you want to <br />get on the AT &T site through the Metronet, <br />AT &T has to buy fiber access from <br />Metronet. It is the same with any of the other <br />providers. And they are all paying taxes. <br />Metronet does not. He thinks we're allowing <br />some unfair competition for people that are <br />paying taxes. If one of these large providers <br />(Comcast or AT &T) decided to go <br />somewhere else because South Bend is <br />undercutting them, it wouldn't surprise him. <br />Mr. Leone said that he thinks that not only is <br />there an advantage to local business, but also <br />to local government as well, because the city, <br />through its use of fiber, will also be able to <br />use this wireless canopy as well. <br />35 <br />