A staple institution in Mount Currie has found a new owner. The Hitching Post Motel, located on the Highway 99 section of Main Street, has been purchased by Lil’wat Business Group (LBG), marking the Nation’s first foray into tourism.
Business group CEO Rosemary Stager said she can’t remember a time when the motel wasn’t there, going back at least 50 years. Despite being squarely within Lil’wat’s downtown core, it has always been operated by owners from outside the Nation—until now.
“The community and Lil’wat Business Group are pretty excited about this new venture, and we look forward to learning more about this industry and having more presence in our traditional territory,” Stager told Pique.
The Nation has been buying up property and redeveloping land on Main Street, including the Spirit Circle Building and the old Blue Motel, in an effort to provide new housing and business opportunities. Case in point, in the Blue Motel’s place, a major mixed-use development is underway, following a successful re-zoning application with the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District in 2023.
Chiefs and council started considering the Hitching Post as they moved through Main Street in search of spots to redevelop, recalled Stager. The purchase was finalized in January, and LBG has been busy carving out a new vision for the motel ever since. That vision includes a potential name change.
“We want to eventually re-brand the name and just give it an overall facelift," said Stager. "[We'll] make the outside nicer, do some more landscaping, touch up the rooms, update them a bit.”
Stager added they’re looking to improve accessibility for visitors and are “exploring the possibility of some RV hookups in the area."
Lil’wat Retail Operations general manager Graham Turner said the focus right now is getting the business off the ground with a handful of new staff.
Turner said in an email the retail arm of LBG is focusing on hiring staff, learning about operating a hospitality business, and looking at ways to improve the business, “including the rooms, the service, the curb appeal, and branding and marketing.” They’re also hiring an on-site manager/caretaker, a part-time assistant manager, and one or two part-time housekeepers.
Stager said while she expects the rest of Main Street to be redeveloped as part of chiefs and council's vision for a vibrant population centre, the Hitching Post Motel’s operation shouldn’t be affected in the near future.
“For the next five years, we’re looking to run it as-is, but we’ll definitely be doing those improvements and re-branding," she said. "But we’re exploring developing a master plan for Main Street.”
The motel is temporarily closed in preparation for a grand re-opening in early March.
The Nation's eagerness for the new venture is evident through Facebook comments. When Pemberton Real Estate announced the sale of Hitching Post Motel in a post, commenters speculated about whether it had been sold to the Nation. Stager said a kickoff event celebrating the valley institution's new direction and ownership is in the works to reflect that enthusiasm.
“The community has had a really positive response,” she said. “They’re really happy that we purchased this business right in our territory, so we definitely want to celebrate this and have an opportunity to celebrate this with the community.”
