GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General Corp. expects to execute about 2,600 real estate projects this year, a 20% increase from the fiscal year that ended in February. Projects include 1,000 new store openings, as well as 1,500 mature store remodels and 80 store relocations.

“Our proven high-return, low-risk model for real estate growth continues to be a core strength of our business and enhances our ability to bring value and convenience to customers across the country,” Jeff Owen, Dollar General’s chief operating officer, said this month during a fourth quarter earnings call. “We continue to believe new store growth is the best use of our capital.”

Dollar General celebrated the opening of its 16,000th store, in Panama City, Fla., in late September.

The company reached another milestone this month with the opening of its first store in Wyoming, in the town of Pine Bluffs. The discount retailer now has a presence in 45 states.