Construction kicks off for new Buc-ee’s in San Marcos

Local residents and those traveling down I-35 in San Marcos can expect a new Buc-ee’s by May 2026.

Buc-ee’s celebrated the groundbreaking on its San Marcos travel center location on Jan. 29, with guests including members of the Hays County Commissioners Court and San Marcos City Council, Buc-ee’s staff, and Buc-ee’s founder and CEO Arch “Beaver” Aplin III.

The overview

The San Marcos City Council first considered a Chapter 380 Economic Development Incentive Agreement with Buc-ee’s in February 2024 and gave final approval in March, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. This agreement set the stage for the travel center’s construction, which San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson said will be completed in May 2026.

The new Buc-ee’s, located along I-35 near Yarrington Road, will span 74,707 square feet with an estimated cost of $47.2 million.

The breakdown

Job creation has been a key highlight for city officials. When first presented to the council, Buc-ee’s projected a minimum of 175 positions with an average annual wage of $43,855, plus benefits. However, Aplin said he expects the actual number of jobs to be "substantially more" than 175, offering what he described as “game-changing wages” rather than just competitive pay.

Mike Kamerlander, Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership CEO, and Mayor Hughson echoed Aplin’s sentiment, emphasizing the wages, time-off benefits, and opportunities for career advancement that Buc-ee’s offers its employees.

“Come in, work hard, get some training—you can move up,” Hughson said. “And they do. San Marcos is already a destination for so many Texans, so I think this was a great fit for Buc-ee’s,” Kamerlander added.

Council member Amanda Rodriguez expressed mixed feelings about the job opportunities, acknowledging that while residents need employment, she wants to see more long-term, stable jobs that enable people to support their families and build lasting careers. She added that she hopes the council will give the same expediency to other projects that provide worthwhile jobs.

Kamerlander also noted that the primary impact on local businesses will be lower gas prices. However, he emphasized that the store mainly intends to attract the 130,000 cars traveling on I-35 daily, rather than drawing in local residents, who he expects will continue to frequent their usual gas stations and stores.

The conditions

Another highlight for city staff is the increase in sales tax and property tax revenue.

The proposed economic development incentive was a 50% sales tax rebate for a 15-year term, with equal participation by Hays County, with the city capturing 100% of the property taxes generated by the project, according to the City Council agenda.

“Let me tell you something different about Buc-ee’s—they did not ask for any rebate on their property taxes. I loved at the [City Council] meeting when he said, ‘Oh, we pay our property tax,” Hughson said. “It was a split on the sales tax—sales tax, we don't have now—and I'm happy to share some of that back with the company, who's bringing us a lot of new sales tax and paying...the full cost of their property tax.”

The approach