Alon USA and Petro Partner in New Travel Center Venture

MIDLAND, Texas -- Alon USA and Petro Stopping Centers LP will form a joint venture for constructing and operating a new signature Petro Stopping Center in Midland, Texas.

Dallas-based Alon USA and El Paso, Texas-based Petro will jointly design and construct the travel center. The complex will provide features that commercial drivers and interstate motorists have come to expect at Petro Stopping Centers, including an Iron Skillet restaurant, a Petro: Lube truck service center and a Petro Travel Store. In addition, the site will provide overnight truck parking and a full range of driver amenities.

When the new facility opens in mid-2007, Petro will be responsible for primary operation of the Travel Center. Alon USA will be responsible for the fuel supply and will operate a 7-Eleven convenience store within the complex, featuring Fina-branded fuels.

According to Jeff Morris, president and CEO of Alon USA, the new facility provides another opportunity to create an end-to-end connection between the Big Spring Refinery and fuel customers.

"We're thrilled to join with a partner of the quality of Petro," said Morris. "This site will be physically integrated with our Big Spring refinery and will provide a reliable and highly visible outlet for a significant portion of our diesel fuel production. Most importantly, we're very happy to provide new jobs and economic development in our home in West Texas."

In announcing plans for the new Travel Center, Petro chairman and CEO Jack Cardwell commented on the strategic location of the site.

"The new facility will be a destination for drivers traveling on Interstate 20 between El Paso and Dallas," Cardwell said. "Petro has an extremely strong customer base in Texas and the addition of this site in Midland fits our network perfectly."

The Travel Center will be the initial development on a 100-acre site, which is expected to include additional quick-service restaurants and retail outlets. Development of a new hotel on the site in the future is also being considered. It's expected that operations on this site will initially employ up to 200 people and ultimately grow to become one of the major employment locations in Midland.
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