COOS BAY - The first Super 8 motel on the Oregon Coast is in business.

Eighteen months after The Timber Inn abruptly closed on New Year's Day 2008, new owners opened their doors Wednesday as the newly remodeled Super 8 Bayshore Inn downtown.

Four guests checked in, though there should be a lot more once the hotel gets listed on the Super 8 Web site, said co-owner Harj Singh.

"I think this place will definitely take off," he said. "Our main focus is on getting the hotel open."

Getting Coos Bay listed online is one of several tasks left remaining for the new owners, who took possession of the property in November. About 30 of the 54 guest rooms are finished, with the rest awaiting tile and dry wall. Singh said they hired an extra five construction workers to get everything finished within the next two weeks.

The old restaurant and lounge sit untouched, sporting Christmas decorations from two years ago. Singh said there aren't any plans about what to do with that part of the complex. The old Timber Inn signs still stand next to the highway, though Singh said their replacements should arrive within a couple days.

The finished rooms have plasma-screen TVs, desks with swivel chairs, brand-new bathroom fixtures and double drywall to cut sound. Most of the rooms have a single king-sized bed, though some will have double beds. There also will be five larger rooms for families, and two Jacuzzi suites.

Workers replaced the roof and put in new rain gutters over the winter. There's also a fresh coat of yellow paint, replacing the Timber Inn's brown exterior.

The changes have made the hotel more approachable, said Tonya Mobley, a North Bend woman who recently was hired as a front desk agent.

"I'm really glad that they've done all the renovations," she said. "It's much better for the community, I think."

The new hotel will contribute to the local economy. Timm Slater, director of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, said the city of Coos Bay saw a drop in its hotel/motel tax revenues last year. It was probably due in part to the declining economy, though having one less hotel in the city didn't help. It's also nice to see someone investing in the community, he said.

"In a time when you see buildings that are unoccupied and businesses shutting down, here is something that has been revived," Slater said. "It will be a big asset to the community."

Joseph Monahan, general manager of the Red Lion Hotel in Coos Bay, said it's nice to have an eye-appealing building instead of a closed property. He said he's not concerned about competition because the two hotels cater to different clientele.

"He's done a real nice job of painting and landscaping," he said. "I hope he does well."

In addition to the Coos Bay facility, Singh's family owns a Super 8 franchise in Creswell, a La Quinta Inn in Wilsonville and the Best Western Garden Villa Inn in Roseburg.