Buc-ee’s — the wildly popular one-stop-shop gas station, food court, snack haven, souvenir store and travel center — is finally opening a location in the Kansas City metro area and its first in Kansas.
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County Board of Commissioners on Thursday night approved a development agreement to build a Buc-ee’s on 20 acres of land at 601 Village West Parkway, near the Kansas Speedway. With approval, Buc-ee's said it would begin construction on the $94.8 million project in May and finish by 2027.
“This is a no-brainer, home run right here,” said commissioner Phil Lopez, who represents the 6th District. “Buc-ee’s is really slick, you can buy pretty much everything there – I’m really happy that they’re here.”
The board’s approval of a request to rezone the site from agricultural to commercial paves the way for the 74,000 square-foot project, which will become one of the largest Buc-ee’s in the country. It will include 120 gas pumps, 12 electric vehicle charging stations and the storefront that has made Buc-ee’s a cult favorite among frequent travelers and road-trippers.
The Economic Development and Finance Committee on Monday recommended approval of the development agreement, sending it on a fast-track to the full Board of Commissioners.
“Primarily, the job force is going to come from right here in our backyard,” said District 7 Commissioner Chuck Stites.”Two hundred jobs, good-paying jobs.”
The Kansas Speedway currently owns the land at 601 Village West Parkway. It has already agreed to sell the land to Buc-ee's once commissioners give the project their greenlight.
According to application documents, Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas currently don’t have a large convenience store like Buc-ee’s.
The Buc-ee’s would serve people visiting the Kansas Speedway and Hollywood Casino, and those traveling along Interstate 70 or 435.
The development approval also comes with tax incentives, worth $13.3 million, that will cover infrastructure improvements like a water line, improvements to the I-70 interchange, electrical relocation and $6.3 million for road changes on Village West Parkway.
Wyandotte County will create a community improvement district that will levy a 1% sales tax on purchases made at Buc-ee’s, which would generate up to $10 million over 20 years.
It will also take half the city sales tax and a quarter of the county sales tax within a tax increment financing district it will establish to reimburse Buc-ee’s for the cost of construction. The financing district will reimburse about $3.3 million of those costs over its 15-year lifespan.
There are 50 Buc-ee’s across 10 states. The chain's first location in Missouri, in northeast Springfield, opened last December.
“I would just like to thank the Buc-ee’s for choosing Wyandotte County,” said District 2 Commissioner Bill Burns.
