Regal Inn set to re-open in “a few weeks”

ROCKINGHAM — Regal Inn is set to re-open in “a few weeks,” over six years after a devastating fire, according to Ram Agarwal, owner of Carolina Lodgings.

The hotel, situated on U.S. 74, burned down in January of 2017. According to a 2017 Daily Journal article, fire crews responded at 2:47 a.m. to flames rising through the second floor and roof of the building. The blaze was under control shortly after 4:00 a.m. that morning.

The building was deemed a total loss by Rockingham Fire Chief Harold Isler.

Two years later, in January of 2019, the Rockingham City Council voted to delay a vote on the demolition of the Regal Inn building following Agarwal’s submission of a full set of plans to remodel it. This was after two years of delays in any efforts to rebuild or demolish the building from the property owners.

Complaints were reported of it being an “eyesore” — worsened by the cleared pile of debris — and a housing spot for vagrants. It was stated that a summer 2019 opening was planned for the hotel. Two months following the delayed vote, Carolina Lodgings secured the necessary permits to go ahead with the reconstruction.

A roof on the hotel was completed in early 2020. From a January 2020 Daily Article, Agarwal states that he targeted a summer 2020 opening, dependent on the weather. Agarwal did not explain why there was a three-year delay from this tentative date.

Assistant City Manager John Massey stated that there is an open building permit for the Regal Inn and that “slow, but steady progress” has been made toward reconstruction/renovation. Massey also added that Rockingham has no authority to dictate the pace of renovations or reconstructions.

A fence still encloses part of the entrance to the Regal Inn parking lot.