Charlotte County commissioners approved the final site plan for Southwest Florida’s first Buc-ee’s in September, clearing the way for construction to begin on a 28-acre site at 25599 Harborview Road, near I-75 and the Peace River. The approved plan calls for a 74,000-square-foot travel center with 120 fuel stations and 740 parking spaces, making it one of the largest stops on this stretch of the interstate.
County records show the project is expected to be substantially completed before Sept. 8, 2029. That milestone is not the same as an opening date. Permitting and construction still lie ahead, so there is no official timeline for when the doors will actually open or when the brisket will start smoking.
The travel center is part of the larger Harborview Development of Regional Impact, a project that has been planned for decades. For Suncoast residents, the news brings a mix of excitement about jobs and economic activity along the I-75 corridor, and real questions about traffic and flooding near the Peace River. Those concerns will follow this project through the permitting process.
Are you looking forward to Buc-ee’s, or do you have concerns about what it means for the Peace River area? Let us know on our Facebook page.
