The Fayette County Industrial Development Board has officially greenlit tax incentives for constructing a Buc-ee’s travel center. With the approval of a 20-year tax increment financing, the infrastructure costs amount to $17 million for necessary improvements like roads, water, and sewer systems. As reported by Action News 5, Fayette County Mayor Rhea Taylor confirmed the move: "The Fayette County Industrial Development Board passed a resolution to issue a note for a TIF for Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center in Gallaway at Exit 28.”
The proposed Buc-ee's site will be situated off Interstate 40 near Gallaway, roughly 40 minutes northeast of Memphis. The brand is widely recognized for its expansive services, clean restrooms, food, and merchandise. To further bolster the upcoming location, Buc-ee's is expected to fulfill the role of both the lender and the builder for the large gas station complex. According to Local Memphis, the Fayette County Board has requested Buc-ee's management to allow for county oversight on any future amendments to the contract, further ensuring county leadership's involvement in the development's progression.
In tandem with tax incentives, a significant loan was sanctioned to jumpstart the construction. “Leaders in Fayette County approved on Monday a $15-million loan which will go to Buc-ee’s for infrastructure for the site to be built in Gallaway,” according to a FOX13 Memphis report. Mayor Skip Taylor elaborated on the loan, stating, "They would use that toward public improvements in Gallaway, which is sewer and water and road that Gallaway and (the Tennessee Department of Transportation) are requiring”. Additionally, Gallaway has agreed to allocate 75% of the sales taxes generated from the new development to assist Buc-ee’s in reimbursing its debt.
The economic expectations surrounding the Buc-ee's project are significant, with forecasts estimating that it will introduce 244 jobs to the community and infuse approximately $12 million into the local economy. Another mixed-use development, currently proposed, is expected to contribute an additional $32 million. As Local Memphis noted, “Each center employees 175 to 250 full-time workers.” The travel center's impact isn't purely local; the company predicts that up to 80% of visitors come from outside the county and about half from outside the state. Buc-ee’s stores attract substantial traffic, with annual gross taxable sales exceeding $50 million.
