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A representative with Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores said after Tuesday’s meeting of the Cordele Board of Commissioners that the company will move forward on construction of a new facility on 8th Ave. near I-75 once local government approval is finalized.

The City Commission gave no indication that approval would be denied. Commissioners approved the first reading of a proposal to annex the property into the city limits, which would provide the proposed truck stop with access to the city’s water and sewer lines.

“Love’s wants to be a part of the community,” the representative said, adding that the facility would be a roughly $12 million investment in the area. He told commissioners that the truck stop would be similar to the company’s operation in Macon, and that the tentative plan is to feature a Bojangles fast food restaurant here.

The Cordele Love’s Travel Stop would be situated adjacent to the location that will soon be home to a trucking terminal for Indian River, which will occupy now-vacant land next to the southbound off-ramp at Exit 102 on I-75. Love’s will build just west of the Indian River facility and across 8th Ave. from the Crisp County Recreation Department’s sports complex.

This is a developing story. Updates on this story and other news from Tuesday’s meeting of the Cordele Board of Commissioners will be added throughout the rest of the week.