One place seeing more than a fair share of growth is the Brompton interchange of Interstate 20.
Love’s Travel Center is locating on the south side of the exit, and Valero’s is moving dirt on a site to the north.
Ground was broken on Love’s in late February, a move being hailed as “state-of-the-art travel stop” by Greg Love, president of Love’s Development Companies. It’s the company’s eighth location in Alabama. “We’re proud to support the local economies in the communities where we operate, and we look forward to serving our new customers in the area with the ‘Clean Places, Friendly Faces’ Love’s is known for,” he said.
If the past is any indication, Moody and St. Clair County officials have reason to celebrate. Love’s location in Steele increased that city’s revenue by 50 percent. “It is a significant revenue generator. Travel centers collect wealth that is driving by St. Clair County right now,” Smith said, explaining that trucking companies have contracts that will have them doing business at that location.
Before, they may have traveled on to the next stop in Georgia without pausing in St. Clair County. With “nice eateries like McDonald’s and Subway,” it will attract other travelers along I-20 who will be stopping at Brompton, Smith said.
An added benefit and potential for revenue growth are nearby industries that could use the facilities, like Red Diamond in Moody and the distribution center just a few hundred yards away. “It offers a lot of convenience to existing manufacturers as well,” Smith said.
St. Clair County partnered with the City of Moody and Love’s Travel Centers on infrastructure improvements to bring the project to fruition. “We feel that the industry already on this corridor coupled with Love’s investment will only continue to breed new growth and revenue opportunities for the City of Moody,” Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said.
“With two new travel centers locating at the I-20 Brompton exit, I believe that we will begin to see new tax dollars this year,” wrote Moody Mayor Joe Lee in his Mayor’s Desk report to the Chamber of Commerce. “New revenues should exceed initial projections of $600,000 per year. The new businesses will be creating approximately 100 new jobs for our city.”
Love’s will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will feature a Subway and McDonald’s restaurants, gourmet coffee, a variety of fountain drinks, fresh fruit, name-brand snacks, travel items and gift merchandise. It also will have parking space for professional truck drivers.
Construction is expected to begin on both travel stop sites in August with opening in early 2014.
