The Northshore Inn motel in Overton opened its doors last week after being closed for nearly three months. Pictured here, new owners Deborah and Chris Wiggins moved to Overton from Denver to take over the motel’s operation.

By Vernon Robison

Moapa Valley Progress

The Northshore Inn motel in Overton opened its doors for business quietly last week under new ownership. The facility had been empty since abruptly closing down on December 21 last year. It re-opened on March 14 as a limited service facility for a time while obtaining all of the appropriate final permits to offer full services.

The motel’s new owners Chris and Deborah Wiggins are excited to be starting into the business here. On February 28, the couple made the move to Moapa Valley from Denver, Colorado to start running the local motel. They plan to reside at the facility for the foreseeable future while they get things up and running.

The couple said that they had, for some time, been looking for a business venture that they could do together in their retirement.

Chris has worked for many years as an executive in the restaurant industry. He was an Area Director for Applebees restaurants for his region.

Deborah ran a company that designed and manufactured children’s clothing for special occasions with sales by mail order and the internet.

“Our kids were all grown and so we were trying to decide what to do next,” Chris said. “We wanted to go into business together.”

Deborah’s family has a long tradition in the motel business. Her parents, Bob and Donna Rifley of Gunnison, Colorado, have owned and managed motels and restaurants for many years. When they heard that Chris and Deborah were looking for a unique business opportunity, they suggested that they try the family business. The Riffleys also offered to go into the venture as partners with Chris and Deborah.

“This would not be possible for us to pursue our future and dreams this way if they were not involved,” Deborah said of her parents. “We are blessed and grateful to have their support and guidance.”

The Wiggins started looking for motel properties on the market in places that they felt would be good spots to live. Chris, who grew up in a small town in Texas, was interested in going back to rural living.

“We looked at a lot of different properties in South Dakota, Texas, New Mexico and Utah,” Chris said. “Then we happened upon this one just by chance.”

They looked at photos of the property online and something clicked. “As soon as we saw the photos we knew we needed to go and look at this property right away,” he said.

Southern Nevada had not even been on their radar screen of places to look. But when they came to visit Moapa Valley the Wiggins said that they felt at home. “We could feel it right away when we first pulled into the valley,” Deborah said. “We just knew it was right. It felt like it was meant to be.”

The Wiggins were also impressed with the condition of the motel property. “The facility was laid out very well and it was built well,” Chris said. “We’ve had to do a little work to get things back in shape. But we felt like there was a lot of opportunity here.”

The couple have gone back and re-hired many of the former staff members, most of whom are residents of the Moapa Valley community. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many qualified applicants for employment as we have experienced in this community,” Deborah said.

Since the Wiggins arrival here, they said that the initial positive feelings that they had about the community have proven to be true.

“We have felt so much support, help and kindness from people in the community,” Deborah said. “We have had people just drop in to meet us and offer their support.”

The Wiggins said that they also received a lot of help from County Commissioners Tom Collins and Steve Sisolak and their staff in getting through the necessary paperwork at the County to allow the motel to be open quickly.

The facility is not opening a moment too soon. Clark County Fair officials have been concerned about what they would do if the motel remained closed during Fair week.

“If we don’t have that motel open, it puts a huge strain on us,” said Fair spokesman, Kevin Willard. Willard explained that the Fair employs entertainers, rodeo judges and other key people that spend long hours each day at the Fair.

“It makes it real hard if after that long day those folks have to travel to Mesquite to stay the night; then get up early and have to travel back the next morning,” he said. “We are happy to see it open again.”

When asked if they had any long term plans for the growth of the facility, the Wiggins smile and say that their main concern right now is just to get the motel up and running fully.

In the change over of ownership the facility’s connection to the Best Western brand was allowed to expire. But renewing that affiliation is high on the priority list.

“We have already started the application phase with Best Western and we plan to have that process completed as soon as we can,” Chris said.