Caprock Inn gets makeover

Cannon Air Force Base temporary lodging is getting a face lift.

Caprock Inn Superintendent Master Sgt. Rodney Barner, 27th Special Operations Services Squadron, said the base has $194,000 for improvements on the 40-year-old building for housing mostly unmarried personnel on temporary duty or who are beginning new assignments at Cannon.

“I think the people will be pleased once they see the final conclusion of what we did,” Barner said. “It will make their stay more comfortable and enjoyable while they’re here.”

The building at Caprock Inn is getting new carpet, blinds, mattresses and box springs, as well as improvements to the vanities, Barner said. Tech Sgt. Angela Schmidt said the 39 rooms would all have 32-inch flat-screen televisions and wireless Internet access.

Schmidt said the rooms would have new wall coverings and an accent wall. All furniture in Air Force facilities will use one of two patterns, and the theme at the Caprock Inn’s temporary lodging is still undecided, she said.

The rooms have sleeping and living areas, private bathrooms and kitchenettes.

The work started Monday. Barner expects the improvements to be finished by Christmas and the rooms to open around the first of the year, after housekeeping staff cleans them up.

“It’s going to be almost like a brand-new complex,” he said.

Barner said planners had money from the Department of the Air Force and decided the old building could be improved quickly to increase the quality of life.

“It wasn’t in bad shape, but it was that time to change and try to upgrade things,” he said.