UPDATE – Feb 7, 2025
A good example of needing patience in any construction project, because delays are inevitable, the Buc-ee’s team has postponed their groundbreaking, which was scheduled for February 19th. Recent rain, and more rain coming, has made the ground too soft for a crowd. We will let you know when there’s a new date.
PREVIOUSLY – Jan 31, 2025
It’s been around 5 months since Buc-ee’s finally put the rumors to rest and signed the agreement in August 2024, with the City of Benton to build a location here in town.
Well actually, it’s out there by the Interstate in town. Well, it wasn’t the city limits, but it is now that they bought the land and annexed it. Suffice it to say, a lot of work and planning has gone into the deal with the giant travel center.
The rumors actually started in early 2023. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s possible that someone involved with the research phase leaked some info… and the news spread like wildfire from person to person.
I didn’t believe it at first, and others didn’t either. And then there was the day in July 2023 that MySaline broke the story. I literally ran to my car to get to my office after the Benton Advertising & Promotions meeting where the news was revealed.
But it still wasn’t a done deal. Buc-ee’s had a year to look at all the logistical facets of building a huge-mongous convenience store with [I think they said] 100 gas pumps.
And they’d build it at Exit 114, the intersection of State Highway 229 and Interstate 30. This was also the intersection of river water and cattle. It’s been a rural area since forever, and the only other thing that had come to that pasture was the occasional 1970s Mid Ark Festival, starring the likes of guitarist Michael Shipp (I hear he’s in real estate now) and drummer Billy Bob Thornton (I hear he’s in the movies now).
So this will be a big permanent change for that little northeast corner of the intersection. The sign alone will be 100 feet tall or more.
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Pictured above is the first section of the tract of land in the City of Benton’s Purchase, and the “Commercial 30 Acres” indicated on the southern tip (map is rotated, North is to the right)
Back to those unbelieving citizens… Even though it was announced at the meeting in July 2023, and MySaline had an article about it, and ten or so other media sources picked up the story, and officials at the City of Benton were talking about it openly, people still couldn’t get their minds around it.
They kept doling out questions and comments, in an effort to to either validate such an insane thought, or perhaps disprove what they perceived as a hoax or ploy not dissimilar to the kind that brought pool tables to “right here in River City.” (I feel compelled to tell you that was a reference from The Music Man.)
My impression of the people:
“That gas station is going to slide into the river.”
“The traffic is already so bad.”
“There’s no way they’re going to fit all that in there.”
“They haven’t even put a shovel on that land, are they still coming?”
“When are they going to open?”
“Are they open yet? They aren’t actually coming, are they?”
“I need some dang brisket!”
But like I said, Buc-ee’s signed with the City and they are coming. And they are going to bring shovels really soon. Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., to be exact, is when they will break ground. MySaline will be there to cover the event. Maybe the questions and comments won’t stop, but at least there will be some belief.
Keep watching MySaline for an update on this, but meanwhile, here’s our previous article, and video of Buc-ee’s making their big announcement at the legendary Salt Bowl football game last fall.
It’s been a rumor since last year but we can finally tell you that Buc-ee’s is for sure, absolutely, 100% coming to Benton, Arkansas. The deal is done and the ink is dry.
READ MORE BELOW
Buc-ee’s and the Buc-ee’s Beaver showed up as special guests during the coin toss at the 50th Anniversary Salt Bowl game on August 30th, 2024 to make the announcement. As you can imagine, the crowd went wild with cheers and talk of the rumors finally being put to rest. See video below of the announcement.
“The city of Benton is honored to have been selected as the first location for CSMS management travel center here in Arkansas. We are appreciative and expect the partnership to be very beneficial for everyone involved for years to come,” Mayor Farmer said Friday night after the announcement.
The company that owns the chain of huge travel centers is CSMS Management LLC, of Pearland, TX. They agreed about a year ago, on July 27, 2023, during the Benton Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting to terms including that they had until August 21, 2024 to sign the deal with Benton. That happened last week.
Over the past year, Buc-ee’s has been researching land, and making plans with the City, but the deal wouldn’t be sealed until they were finished with all of the pre-construction testing. The company now has one year to begin construction, and three years to finish, according to the contract between Buc-ee’s and the City of Benton.
The City purchased about 400 acres of land in the Summer of 2023, located at the northeast corner of Interstate 30 and Highway 229 (Exit 114). The “travel center” – as it would be called in several City documents over the past 12 months – was looking to purchase about 29 acres of that land, right at the southern tip, so they could possibly, probably, allegedly, perhaps build one of those gigantic beaver-themed travel centers adjacent to the campground that Benton has in the works.
As A&P Commissioner Bill Eldridge read from the contract in July 2023, the travel center bid $77,586.21 per acre on 29 acres, or a gross of about $2.25 million before real estate fees. The economic impact on the area is estimated to be $1.2 million per year. Property tax revenue is project at $275,000 per year. It also says the company would expect approximately 5 million visitors per year to their travel center.
Watch the Buc-ee’s website for Benton, Arkansas to pop up on the locations list. Also watch there to apply for jobs: https://buc-ees.com/.