New Travel Plaza Prepares For Opening

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

Finishing work is ongoing at the Eagle’s Landing travel plaza site at Mesquite’s 118 interchange. The facility is expected to open on October 16. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

The construction site at the new 118 interchange of I-15 on the west end of Mesquite is bustling with activity. On Thursday morning, cement workers were smoothing out concrete under the huge Flying J fuel station pavilion while a worker on a power lift was installing a sleak red facade to the front of, what will be, the areas first Wendy’s restaurant.

The huge truck stop/travel plaza facility being built by regional corporation, Eagle’s Landing, is nearing completion and is expected to open on October 16.
“We are excited to finally get opened,” said Kenny Huff, general manager of the site for Eagle’s Landing. “We know that we are going to be busy right away.”

If the traffic flowing now in a steady stream past the front of the construction site is any indication, that will be true. A towering sign announcing both Wendy’s and Flying J has already been placed on the property and can be clearly seen for miles up and down the interstate. It is already attracting travellers. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs and more get off at exit 118 all throughout the day, drive by, note the still unfinished project and then turn around and continue on their journey.

A worker puts finishing touches on a mural in the huge Flying J convenience store space at the exit 118 site in Mesquite. The large rectangular space in the mural to the left will hold a big screen TV. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

Once it is opened, the huge facility will be the place to be for truckers and travellers. The $10 million project includes a host of amenities.

The main building spans a total of 18,000 square feet. Inside is a spacious Flying J convenience store area sporting colorful travel-themed murals on the walls. The store will offer a Pepperoni’s Pizza location, a Chester’s Chicken, a Mr. Taco and a full deli sandwich counter.

The store’s refrigerator case will have no less than 18 glass panelled doors filled with every type of refreshing beverage imaginable. The store will also feature a walk-in beer refrigerator with a wide variety of different brands available. A huge freezer case will provide frozen treats and bagged ice.

“We will have our own industrial-grade ice maker on site providing bagged ice to our customers,” Huff said. “We expect that we will be producing and selling around 400 bags of ice per day, maybe more at this time of the year.”

The future drive-thru lane at what will be the Wendy’s restaurant at the Eagle’s Landing site. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

On the south end of the building will be a full-fledged Wendy’s Restaurant location.
The north end of the building will be dedicated to a 2,000 sq ft full-service liquor store.

The fueling station will sport 16 pumping spots for cars and light trucks, four dedicated RV pumps and eight diesel truck fueling lanes. In the back of the large lot, there is ample space for diesel truck parking.
A second building is also under construction that will be a tire shop serving all different classes of vehicles.

The truck stop will provide shower facilities to travellers. The site has six different private shower stations, each one ample in size at around 100 sq ft with room for both showering and changing.

The public restroom facilities are a key element to the property. “Our company puts a lot of focus on restrooms,” Huff said. “That is a key thing for travellers to have clean and welcoming restrooms and so we work pretty hard at that.”

In addition to Wendy’s, the Flying J store will include a number of other food options, including a Mr. Taco counter. PHOTO BY VERNON ROBISON/Moapa Valley Progress.

The new facility will be a solid employer in the area. The travel center is expected to employ 20 full time staff members and another 10 part time staffers. The Wendy’s location alone will employ around 50 people, most of them being part time shifts. Huff said that he had already hired 20-23 people for the site and had more interviews still coming up.

“Customer service is going to be huge for me, so we are looking for strong customer service skills,” Huff said. “I am a big believer in treating people like people and providing a welcoming environment that communicates how much we value them as our customers.”

Huff moved to Mesquite this summer from Wells, Nevada. He has worked in the truck stop industry for more than 25 years now. He is excited to have moved south because of the warmer weather in Mesquite.
“One thing I won’t miss from up north is shoveling snow,” he said. “I can stand the heat for a few months in the summer because I know I will be loving life through the fall, winter and spring.”

The new travel center is scheduled to hold its grand opening event on October 16. Huff said that there will be lots of giveaways to people who step inside on that first day. Keep an eye out in the Progress for more information as that time draws near.