Gas station and travel center Buc-ee’s to open first Utah location

SPRINGVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — The first Utah location of the Texas-based travel center company Buc-ee’s is set to open in Springville.

At the September 2 city council meeting, the Springville City Council voted unanimously to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to make public improvements West of I-15 exit 261 in Springville, which includes the development of a Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center off the exit.

John Penrod, Springville Assistant City Administrator/City Attorney, presented the plan at the meeting and said that Buc-ee’s has been looking to enter Utah, and they wanted to make Springville the first location in the area.

While the MOU was approved and a plan is in place for Buc-ee’s to move in, nothing has been finalized yet.

“No final document has been signed, but we certainly wouldn’t get to this point if we didn’t have a lot of confidence in them and our ability to be able to finalize this transaction,” Springville Mayor Matt Packard said. “I can speak to Buc-ee’s ability to be able to be very forthright and straightforward, and it’s been a pleasure to work with them.”

Director of Development Real Estate for Buc-ee’s Stan Beard said, “As we all know, this is our first store in Utah, and it belongs here… We are a Family Travel Center, we’re the fun store, and if this isn’t a fun family town, I don’t know what it is.”

Beard told the city council that the return on their investment would be “better than anyone expects,” and the new travel center should bring 200+ full time jobs, with an $18/hour starting wage, to Springville.

It will take 9 months to a year for Buc-ee’s to break ground on the new location, Beard said, and from there, it will take 15-18 months to open the store.

This agreement comes after Spanish Fork debunked rumors that Buc-ee’s would be opening their first Utah location in their city. Buc-ee’s operates travel centers known for their size, the cleanliness of their restrooms, and the unique food and product offerings at the stores, like fresh brisket, kolaches, and beaver nuggets.

Details of the MOU

Penrod said that one reason for the MOU is that the area off exit 261 has not been developed at all, and the city has a responsibility to help businesses go in by providing infrastructure.

As part of the MOU, the city will reimburse 50% of the costs for Buc-ee’s to put in new roads from 1400 North to 2600 West. A sewer lift station will also be required, and the city will reimburse Buc-ee’s $625,000 for that. The city will also pay for upsizing costs for sewer and water lines, and there will also be a bore to put the water line under I-15.

Final costs and reimbursements have not been decided yet, but the Springville Mayor will have the authority to decide those amounts in the future, as long as it fits in the budget.