New travel center to Mt. Vernon

$10m-plus Wilmoth build south of interstate will include Wendy’s, Subway, huge gas station
 
Sometime within the next month, Wilmoth Companies will begin construction on a new travel center to be located just south of Mt. Vernon, across I-44. When finished, it will include a Wendy's, Subway and a large gas station.
Brent Wilmoth, co-president of sales and marketing at Wilmoth Companies, said the new travel center, which is being franchised with Travel Centers of America, will have many of the same offerings as their current travel center.
“There will be a driver’s lounge, entertainment room (and) laundry,” he said. “There will be two fast food offerings (Wendy's and Subway), and then there is going to be some type of a barbecue offering there, too.”

Wilmoth Companies has recently acquired 70 acres of land south of I-44 and plan to develop about half of it, including the travel center. As such, it will be a major development, into which Wilmoth Companies is investing “north of $10 million.”
“We’re probably going to have 200 truck parking spaces, and we’re going to … have 48 gasoline-fueling positions,” Wilmoth said.
“The gas canopy is going to be the size of a football field,” Greg Wilmoth added.
As for their current travel center, Brent said it would remain open, but serve in a reduced capacity.
“At the current time, our plans are to leave both locations open,” he said. “We’re going to leave the existing location open in a smaller setting, and open the brand-new travel center (south of I-44). Our intentions are to have more of our travel center location on the south side of the interstate, and (the current travel center) be more of a smaller, in-and-out type offering; not as many amenities here when we get that one opened up. This is going to be more of a fuel stop.”
Brent said he believes that the new travel center will greatly benefit Mt. Vernon when it’s completed.
“We see this as a tremendous opportunity for our community, too,” he said. “We think it will be a draw. It will be the biggest travel center in the nation being built during this period of time. It’s going to be a destination-type stop.”
The new travel center is expected to be completed and in operation by Jan. 1, 2023.