Without a fiber connection, the story of Shangri-La Resort in Afton, OK would be strikingly different.
The resort started out as a golf club that opened in 2011. The Shangri-La team quickly realized that the existing internet service just wasn’t reliable or fast enough to develop their planned resort hotel and activity park. They needed an internet connection that was strong enough to handle reservation services, guest internet volume and other systems necessary for the resort hotel to function.
That changed when BOLT Fiber became available in the Afton area through the Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, a member of the Cooperative Broadband Coalition, allowing the company to make their expansion dreams a reality.
“Unlike most of rural Oklahoma, we were able to compete with resorts in metropolitan areas — and BOLT Fiber is the reason,” said Mike Williams, Director of Communications at Shangri-La Resort.
BOLT Fiber provides the resort with the high-speed broadband internet services it needs to run smoothly, as well as the VOIP service that allows direct dial access for customers to Shangri-La’s offices.
With fast and reliable internet, the resort is also able to provide state-of-the-art streaming services for virtual conferences and meetings, ensuring resort guests and members always stay connected. “We couldn’t be more grateful,” said Mike.
With the advantages a fiber connection provided, Shangri-La Resort was able to grow from a $20 million golf club to the $85 million resort it is today.
A broadband connection could be key to helping businesses in your district thrive. If you want to discuss further, please feel free to contact me at jamilongacre@gmail.com or Jim Reese at jreese@oaec.coop.