KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Effective Aug. 16, Knoxville-based Pilot Travel Centers LLC will acquire the Gateway Truck Plaza in East St. Louis, Ill.

"We're planning a major remodel for the new travel center that will serve our customers very well," said Pilot CEO Jimmy Haslam.

The East St. Louis travel center is located in St. Clair County on Route 203 at Exit 4 off Interstate 55. The new Pilot Travel Center will keep its doors open during the renovation.

Pilot Travel Centers include a wide variety of amenities for all types of over-the-road travelers. In East St. Louis, the renovated travel center will have Subway and Taco Bell restaurants, showers and a deli.

Kirk Dixon is the region manager, Rick Ellison is the division manager and Keith Hostetter is the general manager of Pilot's East St. Louis travel center.

Pilot Travel Centers LLC operates 262 travel centers in 39 states and licenses 13 locations throughout Kansas, Montana, Iowa and Nebraska. The company employs approximately 13,000 people nationwide.