Buc-ee's gets commission's approval for rezoning of additional land in Amarillo

Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News
·2 min read

Buc-ee's received approval from the Amarillo Planning and Zoning Commission during Monday's meeting to rezone an additional 3.38 acres of land adjacent to Interstate 40 and Juett Attebury Road for a future site for Buc-ee's in Amarillo.

The additional acreage acquired will bring the total acreage of the new site to 27.73 acres, with the additional property necessary to provide an easement to serve as a truck exit for SpeedCo Inc., a subsidiary of Loves Travel Stops and Country Stores, to the interstate, which had previously rejected earlier proposals that would have to build over the access road to their business.

The Amarillo City Council unanimously approved an economic development agreement to bring the Buc-ees Travel Center chain to eastern Amarillo at I-40 and Airport Road.
The Amarillo City Council unanimously approved an economic development agreement to bring the Buc-ees Travel Center chain to eastern Amarillo at I-40 and Airport Road.

Originally approved by the city council for the new site, this project was to begin construction in March of this year, but a dispute among property owners in the area had delayed the land purchase and construction. With these disputes settled by Buc-ee's, the new zoning, which is an exception to the future land use map of the city, was approved due to the commercial development of this area close to the airport.

The commission stated that this approved rezoning was consistent with other developments in the area and would not have any detrimental impacts on the area. Other projects already in the area include the Texas Visitors Center, which is across the road and a truck wash.

A billboard sign advertises a Buc-ee's location 1,039 miles away in Amarillo. The sign is located off of I-40, west of the Lakeside exit on the northside of the city, across from the Travel Information Center. An Amarillo Buc-ee's location is still in the works, according to officials.
A billboard sign advertises a Buc-ee's location 1,039 miles away in Amarillo. The sign is located off of I-40, west of the Lakeside exit on the northside of the city, across from the Travel Information Center. An Amarillo Buc-ee's location is still in the works, according to officials.
A sign says "coming soon" at a Road Ranger travel center location under construction in Amarillo. The site, located on the north side of I-40 at South Pullman Road, is about a mile away from the planned Buc-ee's location announced more than a year ago.
A sign says "coming soon" at a Road Ranger travel center location under construction in Amarillo. The site, located on the north side of I-40 at South Pullman Road, is about a mile away from the planned Buc-ee's location announced more than a year ago.

Now approved by the commission, the rezoning will move forward to the Amarillo City Council for final approval. Once approval from the city has been given, Buc-ee's will likely give a construction start date. The new site is expected to be around 53,000 square feet with about 120 gas pumps and about 150 employees, with a cost of about $30 million to build.

An economic incentive package to bring the Buc-ee's Travel Center to Amarillo includes reduced tax collections over the first 20 years of the business. Officials from Amarillo expect an annual economic impact of $8 million from this new travel center.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Buc-ee's gets approved for rezoning additional acreage for Amarillo