Drivers cruising along I-24 near the Joe B. Jackson Parkway exit do not need a GPS to know something huge is on the way. A sprawling Buc-ee’s travel center is quickly taking shape at the interchange, with the trademark beaver logo and a wide fuel canopy already popping into view from the highway. The roughly 74,000-square-foot build has crews on site, new traffic signals in the ground, and city leaders saying the pit stop could open later this year. For nearby neighborhoods and daily commuters, that means more commercial activity in Murfreesboro’s southside corridor, along with a lot more cars funneling through the area.
City officials and council members told WKRN that Buc-ee’s expects to pull in more than 5 million visitors a year, with the average customer dropping about $100 per visit. By the city’s math, those numbers could mean roughly $3.5 million in sales-tax revenue annually for Murfreesboro and about the same for Rutherford County. Murfreesboro Councilwoman Jami Averwater laid out those estimates in the report as construction continues. WKRN also noted that Buc-ee’s needed an exception to the city’s usual sign rules to get its oversized beaver logo and branding approved.
What’s Being Built
Buc-ee’s corporate materials say the Murfreesboro travel center will cover about 74,000 square feet and feature roughly 120 fueling positions, along with the chain’s usual spread of food, barbecue, and branded merchandise, according to Newswire. The project is projected to create more than 250 full-time jobs with benefits and competitive pay, a figure reported by Trade & Industry Development. Buc-ee’s and local officials have described the Murfreesboro outpost as a regional travel hub for people moving between Nashville, Chattanooga, and the Gulf Coast.
Traffic and Signs
The Murfreesboro Planning Commission agenda shows a formal request to allow signage that differs from the city’s master sign plan, which cleared the way for Buc-ee’s large beaver logo and oversized building signs, according to the City of Murfreesboro. The city has also added new traffic signals and carried out roadway improvements around the Joe B. Jackson Parkway interchange as part of the development, per the city’s City of Murfreesboro road-projects update. City staff says the goal is to keep traffic moving once Buc-ee’s opens, even as vehicle counts climb.
When Might It Open?
City leaders told WKRN in early June that they expect the travel center to start welcoming customers this fall. Earlier local coverage from WSMV, however, pegged the opening in December 2026. That discrepancy underscores that a firm ribbon-cutting date has not yet been announced. Officials say they will release a confirmed opening date once inspections wrap up and final coordination is complete. Until then, drivers should plan for intermittent construction traffic around the interchange as crews push the project across the finish line.
