Hopkinsville is one of 10 finalists for a $3 million tech makeover from T-Mobile that the company says will make the winning town a 5G model for communities across the United States.
City officials were celebrating the selection Thursday morning in downtown Hopkinsville, where T-Mobile was handing out free pink donuts, a nod to the company’s magenta-colored logo, until 4 p.m. Thursday in the Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority parking lot. A company representative told Hoptown Chronicle that T-Mobile bought 6,000 donuts from Whistle Stop Donuts on Ninth Street.
A news release describes Hopkinsville as “a charming, southern agricultural community with one of the most diverse populations in Kentucky, (which) neighbors the Fort Campbell Army installation.”
The T-Mobile Hometown Techover competition received thousands of submissions, the company said.
“A panel of judges from T-Mobile and Smart Growth America will determine a grand-prize winner based on project feasibility, the town’s need for a network upgrade and town leadership interest and engagement,” the news release states.
Smart Growth America is a nonprofit that works on public policy related to community development in rural and urban areas.
In a release from the city, Mayor Wendell Lynch said, “Hopkinsville is known worldwide for its generous spirit. What a treat to be celebrated by a global company that recognizes the many things our community does each day.”
As a finalist, Hopkinsville will receive a $50,000 grant for a community project. Officials have not said how it will be used.
The makeover for the winning community will include:
- A $200,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant and consulting services from Smart Growth America
- A Little League field refurbishment, including a tech upgrade and T-Mobile Little League Call Up Grant support
- Public space tech upgrade to a public space like a library, community center or town square,
- Concierge enrollment in T-Mobile’s Project 10 Million and Connecting Heroes programs
In addition, there will be a free concert with a multi-platinum musical duo Florida Georgia Line.
The other towns named as finalists, along with the description provided by T-Mobile, are:
- Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, is nestled in the Poconos and home to a historic downtown filled with small businesses that are the heart of the economy.
- Dunn, North Carolina, is a beautiful small town in central North Carolina with a walkable downtown and nurtures tourism with small businesses and museums.
- Girard, Kansas, is a town in southeastern Kansas with dedicated teachers who want to help improve their students’ connectivity.
- Guadalupe, California, is located on the Central California coast near the famous Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, has an economy dependent on the surrounding farms that feed America.
- Kalispell, Montana, is one of the fastest-growing small cities in the United States located in northwest Montana and is known for its incredible outdoor recreation and proximity to Glacier National Park.
- Tipton, Indiana, has a high concentration of veterans within its community and is honoring them with Hometown Hero banners displayed on their downtown streetlamps.
- Wareham, Massachusetts, is a diverse New England town situated just outside Cape Cod on picturesque Buzzards Bay. The economy is rooted in the fishing and agriculture industries and bolstered by tourism, manufacturing and commerce.
- Washington, Missouri, is a growing community nestled along the Missouri River that serves as the retail and industrial development hub of the county.
- Woodstock, Illinois, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a diverse city known for its historic downtown district and turn-of-the-century town square.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
