GBT Invests $1 Million in Stafford County's Future

Stafford County is getting a real boost, and GBT is helping fund it. The Central Kansas fiber provider recently partnered with the Stafford County Port Authority, handing over a $1 million check toward a project built around long-term economic growth in the region.

Carolynn Dunn, Director of the Stafford County Port Authority, accepted the funds from GBT Billing Specialist Sarah Riedel and General Manager Beau Rebel. The money came through a zero-interest loan made possible by the USDA REDLG (Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant) Program, which has become a dependable engine for growth across rural Central Kansas.

What the Funding Will Build

The dollars will help construct a transload facility and industrial park southwest of St. John. It's an estimated $3.8 million project, and once it's running, freight will be able to move from rail to highway and back again. For a region where grain is one of the largest exports, that kind of flexibility carries weight. More efficient grain transport could lift local grain prices and add millions of dollars a year to the local economy.

The facility could also open the door to more competitive freight rates for small and medium-sized businesses, and it will include an industrial warehouse for short-term commodity storage.

More Than a Fiber Provider

For GBT, this fits a bigger pattern. "This project highlights the focus and GBT's commitment to the area in not just being a world-class fiber communication provider but also helping drive economic growth and sustainability for decades to come," said Rebel. He noted that GBT has now partnered on six REDLG projects across its Central Kansas service area, totaling close to $4 million in funding support that's helped create jobs and expand opportunity.

That's the throughline. GBT builds fiber internet across roughly two dozen Central Kansas communities, and it invests in the towns behind the network too.

Learn More

Businesses curious about the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program through GBT can reach Sarah Riedel at 785-372-4236 or sriedel@gbtlive.com.

Become part of the mission. Join GBT today at https://gbta.net/residential/internet.