MANSFIELD — Buc-ee’s plans to be a good neighbor when a new travel center is built near the I-71/Ohio 39 interchange, Scott Ratcliff said Tuesday night.
The director of engineering for the Texas-based company said the process — which included unanimous City Council approval Tuesday night of a development agreement for the project — has followed a path consistent with the 55 Buc-ee’s Travel Centers now open in 12 states.
“We are working with the local community to get a project that’s successful for everybody,” he said after the meeting.
“It’s a back-and-forth process. We want to be a good neighbor. We know that all ships rise, but there are concerns.
“That’s why we come out front and invest heavily in looking at the transportation needs and requirements and trying to address those as quickly and as thoroughly as possible so that everything is successful when we do open our door,” Ratcliff said.
The company, founded in 1982, plans to build a 75,000-square foot facility on 37.5 acres, creating 200 full-time jobs.
Mansfield site along I-71 offered key ingredient: Traffic
Buc-ee’s officials contacted Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry just over a year ago about the project. Ratcliff said the interchange offered something Buc-ee’s looks for in a new site — the amount of traffic on I-71 that connects metropolitans like Columbus and Cleveland.
According to Ohio Department of Transportation estimates, I-71 sees annual average daily traffic of 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles around Mansfield. Of that, 75 to 80 percent are passenger cars and 25 percent are commercial trucks. Buc-ee’s doesn’t allow such commercial trucks at its travel centers.
During a city Planning Commission meeting last week, Buc-ee’s project coordinator Angela Janik said said 90 percent of Buc-ee’s customers come from 20 miles or farther away from the store and that 65 to 68 percent come from more than 100 miles away.
“This is in-between two destinations. We’re looking for getting those people who have been on the road for an hour or two, giving them an opportunity for an oasis … a time to stop … to stretch their legs … enjoy some good food, refuel the tank, use the restroom, load up and continue on their journey,” he said.
“That’s our model and that’s what we’re looking to try to do and this was a good location. The community was very open and eager to work with us and that’s a plus,” said Ratcliff, who has been with Buc-ee’s since 2023.
(Below are photos taken Tuesday evening at Mansfield City Council during a discussion about a development agreement between the city and Buc-ees on a planned travel center at the I-71/Ohio 39 interchange).
Development agreement calls for Buc-ee’s to pay up front
It will be the second Buc-ee’s Travel Center in Ohio. The first opened in April along I-70 in Huber Heights, near Dayton.
The development agreement between the city and Buc-ee’s approved by lawmakers Tuesday calls for the use of a tool called a New Community Authority, which will levy a 2-percent development charge on all non-fuel purchases when the sprawling travel center opens, perhaps as soon as the second quarter of 2028.
Buc-ee’s will pay for the massive infrastructure required for the development, estimated at around $15 million. It includes the extension of city water and sewer lines and also road improvements, including three roundabouts on Ohio 39.
That means the vast majority of the work will be paid for by out-of-town visitors who stop at the travel center. It also means all property taxes will still go to local schools, income taxes will still come to the city and sales taxes will still come to the county.
In the agreement, 1.75 percent of the funds collected goes to repay the company for the infrastructure. The remaining 0.25 percent goes to the city for services such as police and fire and road maintenance, as well as potential other development in the area.
A typical Buc-ee’s Travel Center does $25 million annually in gross sales and sells 18 million gallons of fuel.
Once the company has been repaid for the infrastructure improvements, 1.75 percent of the development charge goes away. The remaining 0.25 percent will continue to be collected to help pay for city services, including police and fire.
Buc-ee’s will also reimburse Mansfield the amount necessary for the city to design, construct and install a lift station and backup generator. The city shall be responsible for all design, construction and installation of the lift station, which the company will reimburse up to $400,000, under the agreement.
Janik said Tuesday the company has used similar agreements in other locations.
“It’s similar, but a little bit different,” she said. “This is definitely the first one that we’ve seen (the 0.25-percent development charge) continue on for the city, which is very, very good for Mansfield.
“But overall, we do have this type of structure in other places,” Janik said.
Columbus attorney Gregory Daniels, a specialist in public infrastructure finance, represented the city in developing the NCA agreement with the company. He has worked on public-private partnerships across Ohio for the last 25 years.
“We had a lot of work with Buc-ee’s on this. It was really collaborative and I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I think this is a great example of a public-private partnership,” Daniels said.
“Really what the development agreement is primarily about is building about $15 million of infrastructure that’s necessary to enable Buc-ee’s development. But it also supports the development of the other parcels around Buc-ee’s.
“It’s absolutely necessary for Buc-ee’s, but it goes well beyond it. I think that’s good indicator of how successful this partnership has been so far,” Daniels said.
Company plans to work with local contractors
Janik said a travel center represents a $50 million capital investment for the company.
Ratcliff said Buc-ee’s will look to use local contractors in the infrastructure and construction process. That was a question raised during the meeting by 3rd Ward Councilwoman Crystal Davis Weese.
“As much as possible,” Ratcliff said afterward. “We’re interested in supporting the community. We’re going to be around for 50 to 100 years and so we want to be good neighbors. The guys and the teams and the groups that are in this area … they know this area best.
“So of course we want to tap into those resources because they know where to get the materials cheaper, faster and are more equipped for this environment. We’re from Texas and so we go into the community and we go, ‘Hey, what can you guys offer to help us?’ And that’s how we usually select our our contractors,” Ratcliff said.
“We have a general contractor that’s instructed to go out to bid, find the best, most qualified people and that’s who we use,” he said.
The agreement calls for the company to pay prevailing wages, a set of state-mandated minimum hourly pay and fringe benefit rates.
Three roundabouts planned to ease traffic congestion
Traffic concerns are something Ratcliff said the company knows it must address, which it hopes to do in part with the three roundabouts.
A typical Buc-ee’s Travel Center averages 4,000 to 8,000 vehicles a day and has five million visitors annually.
“This is something that we’ve used in some other locations in other states. When we come in and we’re working with the (Ohio) Department of Transportation, we want to lay all the cards out.
“We divulge all of our transportation studies, all of the traffic data that we’ve collected at all of our existing facilities and we look at it holistically,” Ratcliff said.
“How are we impacting the system and what can we do to fix it for not only when we open, but also at the pinnacle times, whether it be a 10- or 15-year horizon, depending on the jurisdiction.
“We want to take all those elements into play and figure out what’s the best solution. In going back and forth with (ODOT), the three roundabouts was the situation,” Ratcliff said.
Lots of work remains before a travel center could open here
Ratcliff and Janik said it’s too early to predict when the center may open and that her rough prediction of the second quarter of 2028 was “just spitballing.”
“There’s a lot to get done to be done because we’re at the early stages,” Ratcliff said. “The only transportation element we currently have approved is our traffic impact analysis, which is the biggest study element.
“But now we got to get into the weeds. We have got to dig into the mechanics and how the systems are gonna operate with this … what does the final infrastructure actually look like?
Ratcliff said the process will include working with ODOT and the city, seeking to get everyone into agreement.
“What the final outcome is going to be takes time and so it’s difficult to say, ‘Yes, it’s going to be in this month of this year’ because we’ve got to go through different agencies and we’re just at the start of the process,” Ratcliff said.
He said the EPA would also be involved.
“There are some wetlands that (will need to be) mitigated on this property, but also with regards to our fuel, we go through the state and the federal government on those fuel systems, as well,” Ratcliff said.
Lawmakers vote in favor, but empathize with area residents
Before the vote, a few members of council talked about residents who live and/or farm near the site, many of whom have spoken at multiple meetings in opposition to the project.
The only resident who spoke against the proposal on Tuesday was Kimberly Kirchner of 1500 Woodville Road. She attended the meeting with her two daughters.
“My family does not farm this ground or live directly on this route. But I do stand in solidarity supporting my friends, fellow Richland County farmers, landowners, and conservationists and crop producers in Richland County,” she said.
“I live five miles from this site of development on a family farm that I’ve lived at since I was 6 years old. My girls have lived there their entire lives. It is part of our roots and the family farms that this will affect, it’s part of their roots as well. They’re our friends, they’re our neighbors, they go to school with my children.
“That’s why I’m here because it’s important to stand up for what’s right in our eyes and to do that in a democratic way. I’m opposed to the Buc-ee’s development with heavy traffic, underground fuel storage, decreased safety for our families and children,” Kirchner said.
“We all like to see new things, but this is our community and it’s our area,” she said.
Fifth Ward Councilman Aurelio Diaz said lawmakers have done their best to speak with residents since the proposal became public nearly three months ago.
He said the top concerns in his ward are employment, safety and tourism.
“I do support Buc-ee’s, but I also want those who oppose it that this (vote) is not a slap in your face at all. Ultimately, how I’ve always voted and how it will be (is) with what the majority of our community wants.
“This thing it’s really hard for us. I think it will be good for us. I think change is scary. I’m not going pretend to say that it’s not, but I did want to just be transparent with you and say I will be voting for it tonight,’ Diaz said.
At-large Councilman David Falquette said the structure of development agreement made sense.
“We’re not giving away the store. We’re not asking the schools not to take money for 15 or 20 years, which is a historical thing to do for many, many years in the past and for big projects. This was a good way to do it.
“I’m glad we’ve got sharp people that know how to do these things. I do know it’s going to present challenges for the farm community and we’ll do our best, I’m sure, to try and mitigate that,” Falquette said.
At-large Councilwoman Shari Robertson said she grew up in Madison Township and still has friends that live in the area.
“I got a call right away about the concerns of it, from someone that loves Buc-ee’s,” she said. “Mr. Diaz could not have said it better. It’s a tough decision. Change is scary.
“The concerns that I heard that I took to the mayor. She did take them to Buc-ee’s and there was some collaboration back and forth on that, which I’m very happy about.
“I’m happy to see an American-built company come in here,” she said, thanking Kirchner for speaking at the meeting.
“It takes a lot of courage to come up here and sit when you have no experience doing that, and I commend you for that because you should. It’s your community and you should voice what you feel. We’re appreciative of that,” Robertson said.
Sixth Ward Councilwoman Deborah Mount said no resident had spoken to her in opposition to the actual development agreement.
“So I wanted to commend the administration on thinking through something that was going to maintain the funding sources for the township, the schools. Obviously the county gets the sales tax, which is probably gonna be the biggest chunk of it and and then the city for the income tax from the people working there,” Mount said.
Second Ward Councilwoman Cheryl Meier also thanked Kirchner for attending and speaking.
“We do really appreciate and commend you for coming and bringing (her daughters). It’s how our democracy works and we do appreciate that. I think it’s really a good experience for them to see this,” Meier said.
Mayor offers final thoughts before vote
Perry said the Buc-ee’s project has been collaborative from the start, including officials from the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, an organization she led before deciding to run for office in 2023.
She especially credited Tom Vanderhorst, financial specialist with the chamber.
“He’s the brains behind this (NCA), honestly,” the mayor said. “He’s seen these NCAs work in other communities. I think we were doing a great job at economic development, but bringing more nuanced tools like this to the table really has leveled up.
“So thanks to the chamber for their work on this. (Richland County) Commissioner (Tony) Vero is here. The commissioners have been great partners on this as well, making sure that we’re listening and able to answer questions.
“Our township trustees, of course, were the first ones to kind of be in the ring and voting on this (land annexation). We appreciate your support.
“Thanks also to Buc-ee’s. Whenever I’ve called throughout the last 13, 14 months, you’ve answered, you’ve made changes, and you’ve really listened to the community. Having recently been through a development agreement that didn’t go so smoothly, I really appreciate that and that’s what gives me a lot of belief that this project in the end will be a win-win,” the mayor said.
(Below is a PDF with the development agreement approved by Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening between the city and Buc-ee’s for a planned travel center.)
