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Experts say the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas' vote to approve Buc-cee’s coming to KCK is a move that will have a positive and much-needed economic and tourism impact on the county.
The UG commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $94.8 million proposal for a Buc-ee's location in Kansas City, Kansas.
Plans call for a 74,000 square-foot building with 120 gas pumps, 12 electric charging stations and other amenities on a 20-acre plot of land located near 601 Village West Parkway.
The beloved nationwide gas-station chain has a cult-like following on social media with thousands of followers and plenty of content.
Part of the cost of the project will be to re-align portions of nearby streets to facilitate travelers.
UG leadership shared Thursday that the project is expected to generate 150-200 full-time jobs and 4,000 cars per day.
"When we talk about the sales tax that's gonna be generated, the gas tax that’s going to be generated, the people that are traveling up and down the highway — if you’ve ever been to a Buc-ee’s, you go in there and get a toothbrush, a shoe shine, a shower — it’s really a destination-type filling station," said UG commissioner Chuck Stites at Thursday’s meeting.
As a veteran, Mike Jacobi has fought for his country.
He retired at Fort Leavenworth in 1987 with two Presidential Unit Citations, a Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star and 39 Air Medals for when he flew helicopters in Vietnam.
Back home, he returned to fight for his county.
"Before we unified, we were dying we were dying," Jacobi said.
He recalls a time with no gas stations or grocery stores existed in the Village West area where he lives. He moved to the area in 1985.
Two years later, the last link of I-435 was completed. Jacobi thought that would lead to instant change. Instead, it led to 11 years of desolation.
Jacobi eventually led efforts to consolidate the government in Wyandotte County — a "mission accomplished" in his book.
"Consolidation, boom, speedway," Jacobi said. "And billions and billions of dollars."
Decades later, enter Buc-ee’s.
"Buc-ee’s is more than just about people getting gas," said Ritz Dasgupta, the senior manager for Integrated Marketing Communications at Visit Kansas City, Kansas, the city’s tourism office. "It’s about getting these people getting off of the highway and getting these visitors into KCK."
Dasgupta says having something like Buc-ee’s can have an economic benefit for locals already feeling burdened by high taxes.
"When visitors come in and when they spend their dollars in KCK, then our locals don’t have to spend so much of their dollars to support the economy," Dasgupta said. "So more visitors in KCK is always a good idea."
It’s a sentiment UG Commissioner Andrew Davis echoed at Thursday’s meeting.
"We’re gong to have property tax revenue," Davis said. “Looking at these incentives, I think they’re going to get paid off earlier than expected, which is amazing. Sales tax, full BPU PILOT payment, full stormwater payment, all of those things.”
The development includes the use of incentives. As part of the approval process, officials will be asked to sign off on nearly $13.4 million in incentives.
Roughly $10 million will come through a 1 percent sales tax levied in the community improvement district, with the remaining $3.4 million coming from tax increment financing.
Jacobi says a project like this means more jobs and money for the county’s general fund, but urban core residents, particularly in the city’s Northeast neighborhood, say they want amenities on their end too.
“As customers, they can’t walk across the street and have a restaurant or all of the other shopping venues that we have out here,” Jacobi said.
Still, he says Buc-ee’s is a victory for the county, and that’s worth celebrating.
“What we need to be is positive about our county, about our city, " Jacobi said. "It’s something that everybody in the nation wants, everybody fights for, and again, we win."
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