Red Roof Inn opens in Richmond County, revitalizing tourism prospects

ROCKINGHAM — Red Roof Inn officially opened its doors to Richmond County on Wednesday, marking a new chapter for the property that has been a staple of the area since its construction in 1987. Originally operating as a Days Inn for over 30 years, the hotel briefly went independent under owner JP Patel before entering an agreement with Red Roof Inn.

“This is his heart and soul,” said Nisha Patel, manager and wife of JP Patel, during the opening ceremony.

JP Patel highlighted the property’s unique position in the local market. “I feel like it’s a great brand that has a competitive advantage of being pet-friendly, which no other franchise property in the area does or has done,” he said. “We’re excited to put new features into the property. The rooms are fairly remodeled and everything’s ready to go. We’re really excited to crank it out.”

The grand opening began with an introduction by Kristi King, president of the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce. Rockingham Mayor John Hutchinson also spoke, praising the property’s transformation.

“You know, it is an absolutely beautiful piece of property,” Hutchinson said. “It’s wonderful to come in here and see the upgrades — a gorgeous lobby. You can see the rooms coming in, and there’s beautiful work on those and all of the smiling faces: the smiling faces of the employees, the ownership, the management, that’s just wonderful.

“I look forward to what it’s going to mean to the visitors, to tourism, to all of Richmond County in the future. I also want to invite you to call on Rockingham anytime we can help, anytime you have issues, anytime something comes up. We’re here to be a partner with our citizens and our businesses, and we look forward to helping you any way we can.”

County commissioners Jeff Smart and Jamie Gathings attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and voiced their support for the revitalized hotel.

“Just to reiterate what they’re saying: welcome! This place is awesome, and the renovations are great,” said Smart.

Gathings shared his impressions of the new look, noting that he had stayed at the property in its previous iteration as a Days Inn. He commended the improvements, stating, “The new building looks amazing. I appreciate you spending your money here, investing in it and doing what’s right. Hopefully, our tourism is bigger and stronger and people can compliment how great your place is.”

Chris Sanderson, the general manager of Red Roof Inn, thanked attendees for their presence and contributions to the transition.

“I just wanted to say thank you to everybody for coming out. Thank you to JP and Nisha, who are the owners of this property and to all of our staff for helping us make this happen with the conversion. Thank you to Red Roof for allowing us to be a part of your brand.”

The ceremony concluded with Nisha Patel cutting the ribbon, officially marking the opening of Red Roof Inn as a new chapter in Richmond County’s hospitality offerings.