Buc-ee’s is continuing its steady march into new markets, however a hurdle has delayed its recently-announced expansion to Ohio.
The site, which is set to open in Huber Heights, a suburb of Dayton, was first announced in August 2023. As it stands, the location is planned to stand at 74,000 square feet on 35 acres of land. Originally slated to open in late 2025, the project has now been pushed back to 2026 due to “early project hiccups,” company representatives told Dayton Daily News.
While Buc-ee’s did not elaborate on the causes of the delay, this is not the first time the site has seen hurdles. In November 2024, construction was halted due to a legal dispute between Huber Heights and Clark County. At the time, the counties were at odds over the rights to service the c-store’s water and sewage, reported WHIO TV. Court documents filed by Buc-ee’s attorneys in October 2024 called for a timely resolution on the lawsuit.
“Crews have been ready and willing to work to meet an anticipated construction deadline of late 2025. However, construction is now delayed due to the ongoing dispute,” the court filing reads. “… (I)f the court delays a decision granting one of the cross-motions, or otherwise denies both requests for summary judgement, Buc-ee’s and the Huber Heights community will face delays with opening this location.”
Clark County and Huber Heights were engaged in litigation for more than a year before the lawsuit was eventually dropped in December, leaving Clark County with rights to provide water and sewage services. As a result, reported Dayton Daily News, Clark County is responsible for pumping 25,000 more gallons of water per day to the area to better accommodate the large site.
Construction started back up in late 2024 and continued through the winter before being halted once again.
While the timeline is currently unclear, Buc-ee’s representatives have affirmed that while 2025 is no longer feasible, the company still hopes to open the travel center in the first quarter of 2026.
