Wally's New Travel Plaza in Independence, MO

0:00Wally's, that big Midwestern chain calling itself the home of the great American road trip, just broke ground on its newest spot in independence. Missouri. Picture this. A 50,000 square foot travel plaza right off Interstate 70 and Nolan Road packing 80 fuel pumps in 20 high speed. Electric vehicle chargers. It's going up where an old Kmart once stood and they aim to open by the end of next summer. The CEO, Michael Rubenstein, chased this site for four and a half years after spotting it on a drive. They inked the deal after 18 months, then spent another year sorting traffic fixes with the city and Modod. Wally's is dropping about $40 million total, including upgrades like extending ramps, adding lanes on the Nolan overpass, and straightening. Intersections. Locals are hyped to ditch the eyesore that drew crime and vagrancy city crews tore down the Kmart three years back. Councilmember Jenny Vott called it a boost for the highway front porch, with businesses buzzing and residents like Becky Hake ready for tourists to.

1:03Roll in and explore. This spot creates 175 to 200 jobs and turns blight into buzz. It's Wally's fourth plaza, the biggest yet, after launches in Pontiac, Illinois, Fenton, Missouri, and a fresh one coming in Indianapolis. With road work rolling and the plaza rising fast, independence is gearing up for that classic road trip vibe to hit the heartland hard. I'm Corey with the story. That's your Kansas News Today update, AI-powered and always on.