Buc-ee’s has been on an expansion tear in 2026. The Texas-based gas station chain made big Midwest moves after opening a store in Ohio, proposing a new store in Iowa, and promising more expansion to states that “appreciate” the brand. A state closer to Buc-ee’s Texas home base now appears slated to get the company’s latest location.
On Oct. 8, the Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust unanimously approved $12 million in sewer and road infrastructure improvements needed for a Buc-ee’s travel center in western Oklahoma City. The new travel center will be located in the far west portion of the metro area, off of Interstate 40 and Cimarron Road.
Kenton Tsoodle, the president of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City, at Thursday’s meeting said he expects that the new store will employ between 175 and 225 workers. Hourly wages will start at $20 plus employee benefits. Tsoodle told the commission that he believes the new Buc-ee’s will be an economic boon to Oklahoma City.
“Five million visitors will be coming into the store, and we think 90% will be from outside Canadian County,” Tsoodle said, per The Oklahoman. “We’re looking at it bringing a million dollars a year to the city.”
Members of the OKC Economic Development Trust were presented Thursday with plans showing a 74,000-square-foot store with 120 fuel pumps. Tsoodle told members of the commission that the Buc-ee’s could sell upwards of 18 million gallons of fuel a year, though he cautioned those numbers might be low.
The new $12 million in water infrastructure improvements, needed for the notoriously water-hungry Buc-ee’s, come a week after the Oklahoma City Council approved spending $10 million in federal funds to improve highway infrastructure around the proposed Buc-ee’s. Per The Oklahoman, Buc-ee’s development and land acquisition arm is paying$8 million into the project while calling for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to pay $15 million. The Oklahoman reported that public investment in the new Buc-ee’s will total $57 million between state and local funds.
Tsoodle said Thursday that the investment is worth it, considering how many people stop at Buc-ee’s regularly.
“The reason we would potentially look at doing this is we get a nice development with Buc-ee’s, and it’s something that can attract other development around it,” Tsoodle said Thursday. “This helps us jump start the infrastructure that is needed for continued development of the airport and the city-owned property around it.”
On the Oklahoma Day Trips (and side stops) Facebook Page, reception to the new Buc-ee’s was mixed. Some in the area were excited, while others felt that the public investment wasn’t necessary.
“Taxpayers get to pay for highway construction so this billion dollar company can have the access to build here, congrats Oklahoma is always winning,” one user wrote.
Another user brought up Buc-ee’s recent rash of trademark enforcement lawsuits against small businesses.
“Buccees is wrongfully suing multiple small businesses due to the similarities to their logo,” one Facebook commenter said. “Most of them are completely unfounded. Let’s stop supporting all these mega corporations and maybe support local?”