Imagine what the Chippewa Valley could do with $5 million. Well, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is offering millions in prize money to cities that can conjure up the best "urban innovation."

As Bloomberg says, “The need for local government innovation is now greater than ever." In response, he's holding a competition called the Mayors Challenge. Open to any American city with 30,000 or more residents, the goal is to develop local, innovative ideas and share them nationally so other cities can benefit from the insight. As the competition’s website asks, “Solve it. Share it.”

The grand prize winner will receive $5 million for their city and four other cities will each receive $1 million for their ideas. All applications are due by September 14 and twenty finalists will be brought to NYC to develop their ideas with experts.

We've got some great minds in the good ol' Chippewa Valley. Perhaps they should be put together ...

Hey, there's a video!