Opened in 1964, the In Town Inn is significant to the commercial history of postwar Lubbock. The motor inn was the realization of the Chamber of Commerce to have a new hotel in downtown that would serve business travelers and provide additional meeting space to accommodate conferences and small banquets. Leading West Texas businessmen, at least two of whom were associated with the Chamber, developed the idea of the property as early as 1961. By this time, Lubbock had two new convention centers to house large conventions. Also, as Lubbock grew, the highway system continued to expand, and new luxury motels developed along the new routes; automobiles had become the primary mode of transportation for travelers through Lubbock. A new downtown hotel would accommodate automobile travelers, as well as provide amenities for traveling sales- and businessmen, and contain space for smaller conferences, meetings, and banquets to be held downtown. The In Town Inn met these needs, but it ultimately declined with downtown, as new development moved into the suburbs especially after the 1970 tornado. The building is also significant as an excellent example of the motor inn property type, developed in the immediate postwar years. The property type evolved out of the earlier motor courts as more luxurious overnight accommodations for guests traveling by automobile. The luxuries available at the In Town Inn included a swimming pool within a private courtyard, ample adjacent parking, dining facilities, meeting rooms for small conventions or gatherings, and a variety of air conditioned guest rooms, some of which catered directly to the business traveler. The period of significance begins in 1964 with the opening of the hotel and ends in 1972 when large suburban development marked the decline of downtown Lubbock as the commercial core of the city. The In Town Inn (aka Jim Kimmel Center) is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
