In February, officials on the Mississippi coast said construction of the state’s first Buc-ee’s travel center was well ahead of schedule, with hopes of a Thanksgiving 2024 opening.

It appears, however, the anticipation for the $50 million, 74,000 square-foot store will continue a bit longer, according to the Biloxi Sun Herald.

Originally, the expected opening was spring 2025 before optimistic officials moved the timeline up to November of this year. Now the opening isn’t expected until summer 2025.

“Buc-ee’s does not comment on their ongoing construction projects,” a Buc-ee’s spokesperson told the newspaper, “but I can confirm that the opening is currently slated for summer of 2025.”

Nevertheless, construction crews continue to make progress at the site along Interstate 10 in Harrison County, which invested $15 million to rebuild the intersection at the I-10 exit to accommodate the additional traffic created by the new Buc-ee’s, as well as additional businesses expected to locate there.

In addition, I-10 is being widened to six lanes through Harrison and Hancock counties to the Louisiana state line, with funding provided by the federal infrastructure bill passed in 2021.

Whenever it opens, the Mississippi Buc-ee’s will be among the largest anywhere, with an estimated 74,000 square feet under its roof. At that size, it will dwarf the four Alabama franchises in Loxley, Athens, Leeds and Auburn, each of which is between 50,000-55,000 square feet.

Buc-ee’s is a chain of travel centers spread across Texas and the southeastern U.S. Known for their immaculate bathrooms, huge gas station facilities, snack offerings and unique souvenir items, Buc-ee’s opened its first store in Lake Jackson, Texas, in 1982, with the name and now-famous mascot inspired by owner Arch Aplin III’s nickname, “Beaver,” and his dog, “Buck.”

That first store was a modest 3,000 square feet. In the years since, both the stores and the number of locations have grown. Buc-ee’s has expanded to more than 40 massive stores located in seven states, with new locations in the works in Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as Mississippi.