Free MSN Wireless Internet Hotspot at Marymoor

If you are a Redmond soccer mom who is annoyed that your fellow soccer moms and kids are cracking their laptops during games to check their email or browse the Web, I did not do this.

If you are a committed geek, like Josh or Gretchen Ledgard, whose idea of fun is walking your laptop with your lapdogs while browsing the Web, well, I didn't do it but like our esteemed Mayor Rosemarie Ives, I won't hesitate to take some credit for it nonetheless. :-)
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[Reporting from Rachel Tuinstra over at the Seattle Times]
         "Yesterday, County Executive Ron Sims announced a 170-acre area of the park has been named the "MSN Wi-Fi Hotspot." It's the largest free Wi-Fi hot spot at a public park in the nation, according to county officials.

People can log onto the Internet while having a picnic or watching their children play — all users need is an 802.11 ethernet card, which comes standard in most laptop computers.

The Wi-Fi hot spot is the latest in a string of commercial sponsorships and partnerships launched at the 640-acre park near Redmond.
[...]
Under the Wi-Fi agreement with MSN, the county is responsible for maintaining the five antennas around the park that provide the wireless Internet access. MSN, Microsoft's Internet portal, will pay King County $100,000 for the first year of naming rights. MSN is also sponsoring Wi-Fi access at the King County Aquatic Center.

"It's been delightful to see what's happening at the park," said Redmond Mayor Rosemarie Ives. "Part of the park's mission has been to do things in a responsible way."

Rosemarie knows a good thing when she sees it and so does MSN. :-)