Work resumes on motel

Work resumed on the long-closed Apache Motel in Tucumcari this week, and the operator anticipates he'll have it partially open to overnight travelers by early spring.

Wade Dirr said in a telephone interview that electricians and plumbers were working on getting the lobby at least eight of the motel's 24 units ready in the coming weeks.

"I'm looking at sometime around mid-March that we'll open," Dirr said. "We're heading in the right direction."

After the initial opening, Dirr anticipates having the remainder of the rooms ready for use by April.

Regarding the motel's massive neon sign, Dirr said he'll work on restoring it, but only after the motel is fully operational.

"That sign will be a staple to that town. I'll make sure it gets done right," he said.

He anticipated refurbishing the sign to its old glory will cost about $30,000, and he searching for grant opportunities to aid with that project.

Its sign once was black with a kokopelli figure at the top that later became a Native American's profile. An Oklahoma investment group bought the property in 2006 and rehabbed it, including repainting the sign white. It closed not long after that.

Dirr also mentioned the motel can be a significant player during the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026.

Dirr said he recently advertised in larger cities to find managers who would help run the motel and received more than 100 applications. He indicated larger cities are seeing an exodus of professionals, and he wants to take advantage of that.

"People in bigger cities who've run stuff in hotels before, they're having trouble in those bigger cities and are looking for an opportunity to move out," he said. "There's a movement going on now where people aren't staying the big cities."

Dirr's former financial partner, Joanne Thompson, initially oversaw the renovations to the motel after it was purchased in 2019.

Thompson said she initially planned an opening in late summer. But Dirr said she "kind of got burned out" with difficulties in finding local plumbers and other contractors for the job, and he took her out of the project altogether.

"I had to get people from out of town," Dirr said. "I needed people who were going to work. She had some people on the job before who were local who did not show up. That's why the people working for me are from Albuquerque. They show up and get paid."

According to Quay County Assessor's Office, the property is owned by David Addink, with Thompson's post-office box in Tucumcari as the contact for him.

Thompson declined to comment when contacted by the Quay County Sun.

Using the motel's name as an inspiration point, Dirr said the Apache Motel will feature a rustic, Southwest-inspired décor.

The motel at 1106 E. Tucumcari Blvd., previously known as the Apache Inn, was built about 1960.