Louisville, KY- Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry E. Abramson was joined by U.S. Congresswoman Anne Northup, WDC Executive Director David Karem, Kevin Dowdy, President of Friends of the Waterfront & Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Netgain Technologies, Bill Decker of Cisco Systems, Paul Carlisle of US LEC, and Buddy Mattingly of Tumbleweed, to introduce the new Tumbleweed Wireless Internet Hotspot. 
The entire Louisville Waterfront Park will be a wireless hotspot for park visitors using a laptop computer, notebook computer, or personal digital assistant. With the addition of free wireless Internet access, this award winning urban park establishes a new niche. "The park, which has been internationally recognized for its innovative design, will now also be known for its implementation of forward-thinking technology," said David Karem, president of Louisville Waterfront Development Corporation. "While the community already enjoys the park, Wi-Fi will add an a new dimension to the experience."
As of today, the entire first phase of Waterfront Park (55 acres) is wireless. The entire second phase of Waterfront Park (17 acres) will be wireless by the Grand Opening of Tumbleweed in July, and the third phase of Waterfront Park (13 acres) will be wireless when it opens in 2008. The groundbreaking for Phase III will be in August 2005.
The entire cost of the Tumbleweed Wireless Internet Network will be approximately $186,000. FOTW secured in-kind donations from technology partners and funding from Waterfront Park sponsors for the project. Netgain Technologies donated labor valued at more than $65,000 to cover the network engineering. Cisco Systems donated the equipment for the network, such as the access points, valued at $65,000. US LEC donated three years of Internet service, valued at $30,000. Waterfront Development Corporation donated labor in pulling wire through conduit in the park, valued at approximately $10,000. FOTW has donated $16,000 to cover miscellaneous expenses. Fifth Third Bank donated $3000, Jonathan Blue has pledged $1000, and Tumbleweed donated $10,000 to secure the naming rights of the service. Patrons of the new signature Tumbleweed restaurant, which is expected to open in July, will also be able to surf the web inside the restaurant.
Friends of the Waterfront (FOTW) implemented this wireless initiative. FOTW is a non-profit volunteer organization that supports the efforts of Louisville's Waterfront Development Corporation and is focused on waterfront advocacy and development. FOTW raises funds for Waterfront projects through membership and an annual cocktail party fundraiser, the Silver Anchor Awards. FOTW sponsored projects include a Waterfront Park Educational Curriculum Guide, a School Bus Guided Tour Project, WFPK Waterfront Wednesdays, the Fifth Third Bank Waterfront Independence Festival and Captain Catfish Louie, the Waterfront Park mascot. FOTW hopes to use revenue from sponsorship of the wireless network to fund additional Waterfront Park projects.
