Communication, Transportation & Events

Internet Access

Ellis County has several options for broadband internet access including leased lines, frame relay, and a variety of DSL services. Cable high-speed internet connections are also available, all of which are attractive for remote hosting, server farms, and related information technology (IT) services. Firms such as Eagle Communications and Nex-Tech host national and regional e-commerce sites. Ellis County is also home to several third-party IT support centers.

Transportation

Interstate Highway 70 and U.S. Highway 183 intersect in Ellis County and are significant economic drivers for commerce and tourism. Eight interstate highway interchanges provide direct access to Ellis County communities. The Hays Regional Airport features two concrete runways and offers commercial flights to Denver, Colorado and Chicago, Illinois. The airport also offers:

• Charters
• Flight instruction
• Jet and aviation fuel
• Mechanical service

Railroad freight service is available through Union Pacific, with connections to nationwide routes.

Visitors

The county’s strategic location on Interstate 70, numerous tourist attractions, 1,100 hotel rooms, and modern convention facilities combine to draw over 350,000 visitors each year. The Hays Welcome Center serves as an impressive portal for community visitors and is home to the:

• Area Chamber of Commerce
• Convention and Visitor Bureau

Other resources for those visiting the area include:

• Downtown Hays Development Corporation 
• Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development

Sports Events

Sports events attract thousands of visitors each year. The community, in partnership with Fort Hays State University, annually hosts the Kansas Special Olympics basketball tournament as well as Kansas State High School athletics championships for football, basketball, wrestling, and track.