Google to end run in Tempe - Phoenix Business Journal:

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The closing, announced in a blog post fromAlan Eustace, Google'w senior vice president for engineering and research, said the projectas had become "highly fragmented" within its internal engineeringb projects, and officials with the company said they believse having the engineering separatefd from the departments it was workinf for became an unworkable Google's site selection set off a recruitment battle between Phoenix, Tempe and othefr Valley cites looking to land the Internet Google eventually leased office space from in Tempe. The Googl office had hoped to employt as many as 600 workers and the 2005 announcement of its Valle y office was widely promotedby Gov.
Janef Napolitano as showing progress inthe state's bid to attrac t more high-wage jobs and be less reliantg on housing and tourism. Google'w exit is another hit to a statwe economy nailed by the housing market bust, rise in foreclosures and inflation-depressed consumert spending. "It is disappointing, but there's no doubtt that the science, researcg and technology sectors of the market in Arizonzaremain strong," said Napolitano spokeswomab Jeanine L'Ecuyer. The company employs 50 workers at the site and will try to incorporats them back into the companh atother sites, but each situationn will be dealt with on a case-by-casre basis. Its last day in the leased space willbe Nov. 21.
Basedc in Mountain View, Calif., Google GOOG) has been rolling out Web-based software-as-a-service applications for the past two hoping to cut into the market dominateddby (NASDAQ: MSFT). It had formee a unique partnership with Arizona Statw University in thatthe university's entire e-mail and application network is underpinned by Google's applications. Google officialxs said they plan to continuwe therelationship they've developed with ASU, whicy was the first U.S. university to turn to Google'sa applications for use on a broadf scale. Tempe officials said they will look at othet endeavors to bring more technologty jobs tothe community.
"I'm sorry to hear that Googler will be leavingthe Valley. I'm sure there were many factors involved inthe decision. We'lk continue to work with others the communitgy to further developa diverse, knowledge-based economy," said Mary Ann president and CEO of the Tempe Chamber of ASU announced Friday afternoon it woulds continue to work with Google on variousa projects. The university and Google had partnered with several endeavorsw over the pasttwo years, the latest of which is a planne d curriculum in cloud computing to be offeree at ASU as well as continuing to offer its application programs, officials said.
While the news may be a blow for some in thetechnology field, the state still remainzs in play for a number of including Internet domain name provider "Gop Daddy is always excitee about growth opportunities here in Arizona," said Warren Adelman, presiden t and COO of Go Daddy. "Since this time in we've expanded our employee numberws by about50 percent, most of those rightf here in the Valley. Righr now, we have 50 open positions in our developmeny and IT divisions alone and nearly six millioncustomerse worldwide. There are lots of exciting project for skilled people here atGo Daddy.
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