Buc-ee’s coming to West Memphis
The sun rises beyond the 120 gasoline pumps outside a Buc-ee’s store early April 4 in Johnstown, Colo. (David Zalubowski/AP file)
Buc-ee’s, the destination travel center, is coming to West Memphis with all its perks and size.
The 74,000-square-foot travel center, one of the largest in the region, will be built on 34 acres on the south side of eastbound I-40 and I-55, immediately before I-55 splits to head southbound.
The travel plaza will cater to locals and millions of interstate travelers, said West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to welcome Buc-ee’s to West Memphis,” he said.
“This is a huge win for our city and shows that we’re serious about creating new jobs and growing West Memphis. Buc-ee’s is more than just a travel center — it’s an experience. We’re proud to see a major brand like Buc-ee’s invest in our future, bringing jobs, tourism and new businesses to our city.”
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, The West Memphis City Council unanimously approved an incentive package in excess of $1 million to extend infrastructure to the site, including roads, sewer and water, said Nick Coulter, head of the city’s marketing and business development office.
The package did not include cash incentives, he said.
“There is some purchase of property that the city will need for the right of way for the road and infrastructure improvements,” Coulter said. “This is critical infrastructure that’s needed to give Buc-ee’s the confidence to move forward.”
That work will happen concurrently with the Buc-ee’s construction.
The complex will wrap around the Cracker Barrel and La Quinta Inn & Suites at 1600 and 1550 N. 6th St., said Van Spear, senior vice president at NAI Saig who brokered the deal. The parcels of land were owned by several trusts.
“All the details are worked on the sale,” he said. “There is paperwork that’s got to be done in terms of surveys.”
The West Memphis complex will take about 18 months to build.
“This is a project we’ve been working on a little over six months,” Coulter said. “Our hope is to break ground sometime in December, by the end of the year.”
Construction on the Buc-ee’s in Fayette County is expected to begin at about the same time.
The West Memphis store is expected to create about 225 jobs.
“This is a big deal,” Spear said. “It’s a very big deal for our city. It’s a very big deal for the local community, especially when you are talking about 200-plus jobs.
“I think they are going to be a real force in our local market, and we have a lot of people who can fill those jobs,” Spear said.
Attorneys for Buc-ee’s attended the city council meeting to respond to questions, Coulter said.
“We really didn’t have a whole lot of questions,” Coulter said. “It was well put together.”
City officials did not schedule a media briefing, he said.
“We’d hate to put a press conference together and then have bad news,” he said. “You never know how city council members are going to vote.”
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Buc-ee's West MemphisJane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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