The 16-room motel that Eric and Kathy Smith bought five years ago just wasn't big enough for the boom that has struck their small town of Anthony.
As soon as it began filling up with oil and wind workers every night, the Smiths knew they had to build another hotel soon. Or someone else would, and put them out of business. After recruiting investors, they launched a franchise for Cobblestone Inn & Suites. Construction began in April, and they plan to open their doors in September.
"We said, `If somebody's going to do it, why don't we do it?' " said Eric. "We've heard of other investment groups wanting to do the same thing, but when they hear where we are in the process they kind of back off."
The new 45-room hotel will have an exercise room, an outdoor grilling patio, a conference room and a storm shelter -- given the area's tornadoes.
The Smiths already field 25-plus calls a day from people coming to town who they can't accommodate in their original motel. Still, they know they are taking a risk.
"If oil goes to $20 a barrel or something, obviously we're pretty well shut down," Eric said. "It's basically taking a gamble, and I'm either all in or all out, but the chances seem to be favorable that oil is not going to drop like that."
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