Florida’s planned Treasure Coast Buc-ee’s has moved another step closer to construction. When we last covered the permitting hurdles facing Florida’s next Buc-ee’s, the project had largely finished its local review but still needed additional approvals.
During an October 20 St. Lucie County Commission meeting, the county’s planning director said the site plan had been approved and the building permits were under review. At that meeting, Buc-ee’s still needed to address remaining staff comments, so this was measurable progress rather than a groundbreaking announcement.
What the latest Florida update means
The approved site plan means the project does not need to return to the County Commission for another site-plan vote. The October 27 project update from WPTV says county staff are ready to move forward once Buc-ee’s responds to the remaining review comments.
That was different from having an issued building permit. Plans can be reviewed and revised before permits are granted, and no construction start had been announced as of October 27.
The travel center is planned near Interstate 95 and Indrio Road, northwest of Fort Pierce. Plans call for 120 fueling positions, making the development far larger than a typical gas station and explaining the layers of traffic, drainage, environmental and building review.
The project was first announced in 2023 and has spent years moving through land-use and design reviews. Buc-ee’s bought property near the interchange in 2024, but land ownership and site-plan approval do not substitute for the permits required to build.
The opening year is still an estimate
As of October 27, Buc-ee’s opening schedule listed St. Lucie, Florida, for 2027. The company also cautions that its estimated opening dates can change, and it has not announced a grand-opening day or a construction-start date for this location.
Some earlier local coverage pointed to 2028, creating two different timelines around the project. The company’s live schedule makes 2027 the current public estimate, but the unfinished permit process means travelers should not treat that year as a promise.
If completed, the store would become Buc-ee’s southernmost Florida travel center. The chain’s existing Florida locations are farther north along Interstate 95 in Daytona Beach and St. Augustine.
What changed since the previous update
The clearest change is procedural. The county has confirmed site-plan approval and says the building permits are actively being reviewed. That moves the story beyond broad assurances that local hurdles were nearly complete.
Important work remains. The latest county update did not announce that a building permit had been issued, that every outside-agency approval was complete or that a groundbreaking had been scheduled.
For Florida drivers, the project had moved closer as of October 27—but construction had not been announced. The next meaningful milestone will be completed permit review, resolution of the remaining comments or a confirmed groundbreaking date from Buc-ee’s or St. Lucie County.
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