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NEW PORT FUEL CENTER TO OPEN IN FALL 2019 WITH IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF AMENITIES, SERVICES

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December 20, 2018
PORT WENTWORTH, GA – Work is already under way for a new state-of-the-art truck stop fuel center in Port Wentworth at Highway 21 and Grange Road. When the Port Fuel Center opens in fall 2019, its wide array of dining options, fueling pumps, retail space, variety of amenities, and customer service techniques will be conveniently accessible to travelers of all sorts.

The facility, which will sit on a 16-acre parcel of land, is designed to be especially accommodating and useful to intermodal truck drivers, according to owner Sean Register. However, Register is confident that all customers – whether they be commuters, local residents or vacationers – will find the center welcoming, extremely well-equipped and easy to navigate. When finished, Port Fuel Center will include a convenience store and retail space, three quick-service restaurants, standard gas pumps, semi-truck fuel pumps, compressed natural gas pumps, semi-truck parking and a CAT scale. Spacious restrooms with showers will be plentiful, and the on-site store will sell nearly anything an interstate traveler could need. There’s also a future possibility for the installation of electric car charging stations.
And while there’s no shortage of conveniences, Register thinks it’ll be the service and attention to detail that will truly set Port Fuel Center apart. In addition to the long list of comforts and products available, the facility’s staff will provide assistance with certain tasks to ensure customers’ visits are smooth, expeditious and successful. 

“My background is in shipping. Those intermodal truckers are vital, and there’s been a lack of amenities for them to get something to eat, find clean restrooms and showers, speed of service, etc., so that’s what we’re trying to do. This will be more than a convenience store. It’s an experience with great food options, services, and speed that is second to none,” Register said. “We’ll have people with tablets – like the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru line method – to assist truck drivers with their needs. We’ll help with fueling their trucks so they can go inside and get things accomplished in a timely manner. I’ve been meeting with trucking companies to find out what their drivers need, and when I tell them about the project, they say, ‘You’re going to do that for us?’ And I say yes sir or yes ma’am, we are!”
Near the back of the 16-acre property, there will be a designated parking area where drivers can park their rigs and then catch a shuttle – provided by Port Fuel Center – to nearby on-site restaurants or to the center’s main retail hub. Inside that hub, drivers will find free wifi access, message boards with helpful information, and other thoughtful touches designed to make trips a little easier. 

Register, who was born and raised in Coastal Georgia, said he first got the idea for a multi-faceted, innovative truck stop several years ago. His vision soon took shape and he began to take stock of available resources and put his plan into action.
“My grandfather used to own a good portion of this land. Six years ago, I started to think this would be a good thing and started reassembling and combining the land to put it back together. My partners at Stature Investments and Ideal Hospitality and I are very excited about this. It’s a great thing for the community – truckers, Gulfstream, other industries, commuters and locals. To my knowledge, there’s nothing else like it on this side of Atlanta,” Register said. “The store alone is 9,200 square feet, so it’ll be the largest in the Savannah Metro Area. We’ve designed it for ease of maneuverability. There will be a dedicated entrance coming in off Highway 21, a new red light at Grange and 21, a dedicated truck exit and a separate exit that sends drivers out onto Grange Road. The designated truck access was put in by GDOT.”

Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Trisha Growe thinks the Port Fuel Center will be a beneficial addition to the city and is glad to have found a supportive community partner in Register and his business.
“Sean is very proactive about giving back to the community and meeting residents’ needs. Having this great, well-appointed resource right in the midst of our growing city will add an element of convenience for everyone, from locals to visitors. Not to mention, we strive to be a hospitable community and to welcome anyone who stops in or passes through Port Wentworth. Giving travelers and truck operators easy access to such a great, multi-faceted facility will give out-of-towners a nice impression and, hopefully, have them coming back,” Growe said.

Register said the project should progress quickly, given that crews are already turning dirt, doing site work and have removed all the buildings that were on the property. Soon, the structures will start going up and he’s look at opening in the third quarter of next year.
He looks forward to serving the community and hopes his customers will see Port Fuel Center as an asset and a resource.

“We’re very fortunate to have the fastest-growing port in the U.S. right in our backyard. It’s our economic engine. This area is very busy. The traffic count, for vehicles who drive by the fuel center site every day, is up to 35,000. So we want to make it a great experience for them to come in and get whatever items they need,” Register said.
 
Contact:
Trisha Growe, President & CEO
tgrowe@visitportwentworth.com, (912) 965-1999