Report: Wisconsin Buc-ee’s debut delayed due to cost-sharing dispute

DEFOREST, Wis. (WTVO) — The planned construction of the first Wisconsin Buc-ee’s travel center has been hit with a series of delays, according to a new report.

Plans to open the first Buc-ee’s in the northern United States were announced in February 2023, in DeForest, Wisconsin, north of Madison and on the I-90 route to the Wisconsin Dells.

The site was unveiled as a 74,000 square-foot store with 120 gas pumps and 20 electric vehicle chargers, according to the DeForest Times-Tribune .

However, Channel 3000 reported that negotiations between Buc-ee’s and the Village over cost-sharing for highway improvements around the site went unresolved.

“Generally, when a new development comes in, it’s practice that the business takes on the cost of the development,” said DeForest Village Administrator Bill Chang.

The company had anticipated to break ground on the project in 2024, but now that is unlikely to happen.

Buc-ee’s has developed a reputation for its pristine restrooms and endless selection of snacks, drinks and novelty items,” according to the Austin Journal.

Buc-ees currently has 43 stores operating in Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Kentucky.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.