>Was that the reason,
Yes.
> or was it because the other telecom companies were lobbying to keep Google from accessing rights of way and expanding to other cities. (One failed example:[0])
A failed lobbying example is terrible evidence compared to the sweetheart deals Google got and the lengths cities went to attract Google (from Wikipedia):
The initial location was chosen following a competitive selection process.[18] Over 1,100 communities applied to be the first recipient of the service.[19][20] Google originally stated that they would announce the winner or winners by the end of 2010; however, in mid-December, Google pushed back the announcement to "early 2011" due to the number of applications.[21][22][23]
The request form was simple, and, some have argued, too straightforward.[24] This led to various attention-getting behaviors by those hoping to have their town selected.[24] Some examples are given below:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana supporters remade the Supertramp song "Give a Little Bit" to "Give a Gigabit".
Greenville, South Carolina utilized 1,000 of their citizens and glow sticks to create "The World's First and Largest People-Powered Google Chain."[25] From an aerial view, the title "Google" was colorfully visible.
Topeka, Kansas, temporarily renamed itself "Google".
A small plane bearing a banner reading "Will Google Play in Peoria, IL?" flew over the Google campus in Mountain View, California.[26]
The mayor of Duluth, Minnesota, jokingly proclaimed that every first-born child will be named either Google Fiber or Googlette Fiber.[27]
The city of Rancho Cucamonga, California, dubbed their city, "Rancho Googlemonga".[28]
One of the islands in Sarasota, Florida, was temporarily renamed "Google Island".[24]
Municipalities and citizens have also uploaded YouTube videos to support their bids. Some examples:
A YouTube video in support of Sarasota, Florida, used the Bobby McFerrin song "Don't Worry, Be Happy".[24] A video for Sarasota was uploaded through Facebook’s video service.[24]
Comedian and United States Senator Al Franken made a YouTube video to support the bid of Duluth, Minnesota.[29]
Ann Arbor, Michigan, has its own YouTube channel[30] featuring a David Letterman-style Top Ten list delivered by town VIPs such as Mayor John Hieftje and University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman. Ann Arbor also held a city-wide GoogleFest,[31] kicking off with a gathering of hundreds of participants dancing and chanting "Ann Arbor Google Fiber, ain't Nothing any finer."[32]
