FORT MORGAN, Colo. — Fort Morgan, Colorado is ready to be famous. The town 70 miles east of Denver, home to about 12,000 people, is the focus of season two of the HGTV show, "Home Town Takeover," premiering Sunday, April 23.
Crews from the network spent three months renovating businesses, homes and public spaces. Fort Morgan resident and carpenter Jason Labonte ended up working on about half of the projects.
“It was a lot of sleepless nights, I worked around the clock, no time off,” he said.
City leaders couldn't reveal all of renovations, because of non-disclosure agreements with the network, but many of the changes can be seen from the public walkways. Several businesses on Main Street now have brightly colored exteriors and new signs.
There's also a new display in Glenn Miller Park, named for the big-band icon who went to Fort Morgan High School. Several new murals also decorate exterior walls around town.
Not all businesses were selected for the show, but their owners were still excited to have HGTV in town. Alycia Stewart opened “Books on Main” last fall.
“I actually closed on the building two days before they announced HGTV and it made me feel better about opening a business and taking that leap of faith,” Stewart said
Down the street, Lindsey Bruntz bought the 100-year-old Cover movie theater and is turning it back into a must-see attraction.
“You’ll see my dad behind the concession stand serving nachos, we do it all,” she said.
Fort Morgan Mayor Lyn Deal said it’s inspiring to see how people have reinvested in the community.
“I call it hidden beauty. Fort Morgan has hidden beauty, and it’s in the people and the things that they do,” Deal said.
She’s excited to share that beauty with the rest of the world over six episodes. "Home Town Takeover" season two premieres on HGTV at 6 p.m., Sunday April 23.
