Jan. 17—City officials say plans are moving forward for a Burger King restaurant at the Shops at McAlester.
They expect construction for the new restaurant to be started and completed sometime in 2023, although an exact date for construction and completion of the projected restaurant has yet to be finalized through the city.
Both McAlester Economic Development Director Adam White and Community Development Director Jayme Clifton say the initial steps have already been taken.
Clifton said an application was submitted in September for a building to house the Burger King restaurant, with total fees coming to $1,633.
“They paid the fees and picked up the building permit on Nov. 4,” Clifton said.
The permit is for construction of a 3,530-square-foot building at 1104 Tanglewood Drive. Total costs of improvements for the planned building are listed at $1.2 million.
That breaks down to $845,000 for the initial cost of improvements. Another $140,000 is electrical work, with an additional $120,000 for plumbing. Heating and air conditioning costs come in at $95,000, reaching the $1.2 million total when all four are added together.
Plans on the building permit call for the projected Burger King restaurant to have 32 outdoor parking spaces.
Clifton said it’s her understanding that kitchen equipment has been in the process of being ordered and delivered, with possible delays attributed to supply side shortages.
Construction of a new Burger King restaurant would be the third restaurant to locate at the Shops at McAlester retail shopping center at Fourteenth Street and U.S. Highway 69, known as the George Nigh Expressway where the highway wends through McAlester.
Starbucks opened last March in its location at 1325 Tanglewood Drive at Shops at McAlester.
Chick-fil-A opened in October 2022 in its location at 1209 Tanglewood Drive, also in the Shops at McAlester shopping center.
Shops at McAlester has been opening in stages, with Starbucks the first business to open at the site in March, 2022, followed by Burkes Outlet, Hobby Lobby, T.J. Maxx, Ross, Rack Room Shoes and Five Below.
Plans for a multi-tenant building adjacent to Starbucks call for a Tropical Smoothie Cafe at 1,800 square feet and a 2,500-square-foot T-Mobile, with room for two additional tenants.
