The director of the Clinton Economic Development Authority confirmed Tuesday it had completed the deal to buy the Glancy Motel and Pop Hicks properties in Clinton, Oklahoma, and turn it over to a local developer to renovate or rebuild them.
The Clinton Daily News (subscription required) reported the finalization of the acquisition from CEDA director Richard Mowrer. Completion of the deal, initially announced in September, had been anticipated just a few days before.
Centurian Land Development, owned by businessman Rick Koch, wants to restore and operate the Glancy and Pop Hicks in time for Route 66’s centennial in 2026.
The Daily News reported:
“When this is all said and done the community is going to have a world-class facility,” Mowrer said. “Not only will the Glancy and Pop Hicks be restored to their former glory, but Route 66 will also see some restoration as well.”
Koch’s company has pledged a minimum of $5.5 million of capital improvement to pour into the properties.
The original agreement reached Sept. 2, 2021, calls for work to begin within 180 days of the transfer of ownership
between CEDA and Centurion and the company will have up to 36 months to complete the project as well.
The Glancy, which was built in 1950, had been in a steep decline that included condemnation by the city in 2019 due to code violations.
Pop Hicks, which once stood next door to the motel, opened in 1936 but was destroyed in a fire in 1999.
Once completed, the reborn Pop Hicks and Glancy Motel probably will see a big influx of Route 66 aficionadoes. Western Oklahoma is relatively lacking in well-run vintage motels along Route 66.
And many roadies — me included — never have experienced Pop Hicks because it’s been gone for more than 20 years.
Koch also saved and renovated the historic but long-closed Lucille’s gas station near Hydro, Oklahoma. He also built the Lucille’s Roadhouse restaurant in nearby Weatherford, Oklahoma, that pays tribute to Lucille’s.
(Image of the Glancy Motel in Clinton, Oklahoma, via its Facebook page; postcard image of Pop Hicks restaurant courtesy of 66Postcards.com)
I’m glad to read this and I wish them well on this project. While on my first Route 66 trip, in 1999, I had wanted to take a room at the Glancy, so I could spend all day at the Route 66 Museum the next day. However, when I arrived to inquire about a room, the proprietor said that they couldn’t check anyone in because their computer system was down. (I had though it odd that they had no action plan for this emergency.) It was only later, when I started to learn more about the Glancy’s current status, that it began to occur to me that perhaps I had been fortunate. I look forward to better days for the Glancy and for Pop Hicks restaurant.