ARKANSAS CITY, KAN. – Premium beef processor Creekstone Farms announced that it began construction on a 20,000-square-foot child care center adjacent to its Arkansas City headquarters. 

The company said the center will accommodate more than 100 children when it opens in the fall. The child care facility, which will be for the children of Creekstone Farms employees, will cost an estimated $3.5 million to construct and sits on 3.5 acres.

The company will cover the renovation costs to start the learning center with employees paying a monthly fee to utilize the service.

“Creekstone Farms Premium Beef sees the value in growing together with the local community,” said Kei Kada, Creekstone Farms president and CEO. “We hope this new project will be a great success and become an example of best solutions for the community.”

The learning center will be a subsidiary of Creekstone Farms but will operate as a separate entity, the Walnut Valley Learning Center LLC. The company plans to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the facility.  

Wichita, Kan.-based Hutton partnered with Creekstone Farms to build the center. Creekstone said that the town of Arkansas City is providing tax incentives for the project.

The center is part of the company’s efforts to bolster the benefits available to its employees, which number approximately 1,200. Creekstone also committed to increasing wages by 33% over the last three years. Creekstone also updated employee break areas and lunchrooms and expanded on-site hot foodservice offerings for workers.