Charlotte Rae Nicely, third from left, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, receives a donation from Comcast during a celebration event at the Moose Lodge in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday.

Chuck Ballaro

Officials from Comcast and Lee County get set to cut the ribbon to celebrate improved Internet coverage in Lee County during a celebration event at the Moose Lodge in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday.

CHUCK BALLARO

Williams Devers and Mark Giosa of the Moose Lodge raise their new flag following a special event at their building in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday. Comcast presented them with the new flag.

CHUCK BALLARO

Officials from Comcast and Lee County get set to cut the ribbon to celebrate improved Internet coverage in Lee County during a celebration event at the Moose Lodge in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday.

CHUCK BALLARO

In East Lee County, families and businesses in need of fast, reliable internet services were, until recently, kind of out of luck.

Many areas in the state were in the same boat.

Not anymore.

Comcast, in partnership with the state, county and other public and private companies celebrated a major milestone Tuesday in the company’s mission to expand internet access across the state, including more than 11,000 homes in Lehigh Acres. 

At a special event at the Moose Lodge on Homestead Road in Lehigh, Comcast announced they’ve built their next-generation network to more than 32,000 homes and businesses across parts of Florida.

Charlotte Rae Nicely, third from left, executive director of Lehigh Community Services, receives a donation from Comcast during a celebration event at the Moose Lodge in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday.

Chuck Ballaro

For the first time, residents and businesses in this community will have access to ultra-fast, reliable internet for those who work and play from home.

Michelle McGovern, vice president of government affairs for Comcast, said they were excited for the long-term goal of bringing online a next-generation network to Lee County.

“We looked at the maps to find the unserved areas that need our service. Lee County stepped out more than anyone. They knew where they were,” McGovern said. “They helped us find them and support them.”

Jeff Buzzelli, vice president, said the company gets excited about projects in high-growth communities, and that the work has only just begun.

“We’re not done yet. We’re going to continue to invest in Lee County and Lehigh Acres. It’s exciting to announce that,” Buzzelli said. “We’re not just waiting around for state money, we’re building a lot on our own.”

Williams Devers and Mark Giosa of the Moose Lodge raise their new flag following a special event at their building in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday. Comcast presented them with the new flag.

CHUCK BALLARO

Local leaders and representatives from Comcast were present to speak about the project, and there were a few surprises in store for those who attended.

Besides a ribbon cutting, the Moose Lodge received a new flag. Also, Lehigh Community Services received a $5,000 donation from Comcast for its support services.

The projects were made possible thanks to a public-private partnership with the state of Florida’s Broadband Opportunity Program and Capital Projects Fund.

Tiffany Esposito, Florida State Rep., District 77, said the project was a great investment in the infrastructure for Lehigh Acres, bringing reliable internet to areas that may never have had it before.

“An investment in infrastructure is an investment in our residents. Having reliable high-speed internet in this area of the county gives us opportunities to work from home or do virtual schooling or telehealth,” Esposito said. “It opens up opportunities for the success of our residents.”

David Mulicka, Lee County Commissioner, said it’s a moment in the history of Lee County to celebrate with a growing area getting state-of-the-art Internet.

“More than 11,000 people in Lehigh Acres have Internet thanks to Comcast and the state of Florida,” Mulicka said. “This is the fastest-growing area of Lee County. This is a tremendous game-changer for the students and businesses, and lives in general will be much improved because of this.”