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The New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group is hosting its next stakeholder meeting in Santa Fe on Tuesday, September 17. Join us to share your ideas and perspective for how New Mexico can celebrate the Route 66 Centennial in 2026! Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Time: 9 a.m. - 12 noon Venue: Santa Fe Community College - Jemez Rooms Address: 6401 Richards Ave., Santa Fe, NM 87508 Click here to view the full agenda.  The most enduring highway in our public consciousness, Route 66 represents a unique moment in history that continues to define the nation’s identity: the rise of the automobile and its implications of freedom, mobility, and a quintessential American story. Grants from this fund will help preserve and enhance historic places on or connected to Route 66 for future generations. Grants from the Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund are awarded to preserve historic places on or connected to Route 66. Grant funds can be used to launch new initiatives or to provide additional support to ongoing efforts. Grants awards may be made for activities and projects such as:
Grants range from $2,500 to $10,000. Applications due October 16. APPLY TODAY  In an effort to help New Mexico communities and organizations along Route 66 prepare for the celebration of the Route 66 Centennial in 2026, the state has officially launched a grant program to support those efforts. The program offers support for three types of projects and initiatives: marketing & promotions, infrastructure, and special events. Applications for this program are open as of July 15! Applications for marketing and promotion will close August 13 and applications for infrastructure and special events will close August 19. For more information, visit the New Mexico Tourism Department website.  The New Mexico Route 66 Association has received quite a few inquiries regarding the Route 66 Visitors Center on Albuquerque’s West Side. We wanted to clarify we are not involved with this project. This is a partner project of the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County with the West Central Community Development Group. Please refer all inquiries to: Luis Hernandez, Executive Director| West Central Community Development Group (dedicated to enriching the lives of community members in the West Central area) | 5921 Central Ave NW | Albuquerque NM 87105 | [email protected] | 505-688-4122. We met with Luis in February 2021, at which time we discussed their plans and offered our advice. We wish them all the best! (For more information about the February 2021 meeting, a follow-up article was printed in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Route 66 New Mexico magazine (see below). From February 2021 Association Meets with West Central Community Development Group in Albuquerque to Discuss Proposed Route 66 Visitors Center On February 3rd, New Mexico Route 66 Association Officers, including President Melissa Lea Beasley, met with Luis Hernandez, Executive Director of the West Central Community Development Group (WCCDG) to conduct fact finding with regard to the status of the $10 million project known as the West Central Route 66 Visitors Center. Construction will begin with groundbreaking scheduled for February 2021. The Visitors Center is a collaborative effort that includes Bernalillo County, the city of Albuquerque, WCCDG and the Southwest Alliance of Neighbors. Mr. Hernandez opened the meeting with a virtual animated walk-through tour of the exterior and interior spaces planned for the center, which will be located on a five-acre site at the apex of NineMile Hill. The anchor building features 21,000 sq ft with an upper floor that includes a 4468 sq ft event space and a 1369 sq ft commercial kitchen. The ground floor provides several administrative offices, a proposed tap room of 1286 sq ft with an adjacent patio, a proposed 3250 sq ft museum space, and a 1243 sq ft exhibition space. The meeting established that although the facility is anticipated to be completed in early 2022, the building currently has no confirmed tenants for operating the proposed museum space, tap room, and banquet/event hall. The WCCDG issued RFIs for the tap room and banquet hall that were due October 15. Hernandez informed the Association that there were no qualified responses to the Tap Room RFI and only one inquiry on the Banquet/Event Hall. No RFI was issued for the museum space. A number of ideas are currently being proposed for the multi-use facility including a New Mexico Music Hall of Fame, a lowrider exhibit/museum, a Route 66 Museum, drive-in movie venue, a Route 66 sign graveyard, RV Park, and amphitheater. Mr. Hernandez acknowledged that the facility has not been optimally defined and he noted that a branding professional has been retained to further work with the WCCDG to develop a clearly articulated identity. Mr. Hernandez explained that this may include revisiting the name of the facility, which up to now has been branded the West Central Route 66 Visitors Center. The Association pointed out that, given New Mexico’s and Albuquerque’s Route 66 heritage, visitors would have high expectations upon entering a Route 66 Visitors Center and a proposed Route 66 Museum. The Association emphasized that an underwhelming presentation of our rich Route 66 heritage would invoke a strong negative response from visitors that would be communicated worldwide through the very active social networks that are connected to Route 66 culture and history. The Association communicated its awareness of strong headwinds that face the project, given negative press calling the project a “boondoggle” in a 2019 Albuquerque Journal editorial, and a follow-up Journal editorial in 2020 headlined “.... Visitors Center Not Ready for Prime Time.” This is in addition to a commissioned professional economic study that concluded the project was financially unsustainable. Ms. Beasley reminded Mr. Hernandez of several key details regarding Route 66 and the project. “Their website (www.wccdg.org) states, ‘Albuquerque has the longest stretch of the historic Mother Road in the country, and when operational, the Visitor Center will have a national presence, and locally will further advance economic development on the West Central corridor.” It was well understood at the meeting that Mr. Hernandez has inherited an incredibly challenging job to realize a sustainable and creditable facility that will serve the west side community. The New Mexico Route 66 Association advised that job one is to capitalize on the February groundbreaking to issue a new RFI initiative that would include a broader outreach plan promoting the business potential available to prospective tenants, as well as creating an incentive package that could be attractive to potential tenants. Concluding the meeting, Ms. Beasley commented that “the project conveyed the look and feel of a community center the west side needs and could benefit from. However, it does not possess the proper layout and space needed for a Route 66 Visitor Center and/or Museum.” Further complicating matters, she mentioned that press releases had been distributed announcing the building will be a Route 66 Visitor Center, but that there is neither plan nor money to finish out the building to make that happen. “The Center is trying to appeal to two different demographics,” Ms. Beasley continued, “the local community and Route 66 visitors. It has accomplished serving the local community and should focus on that aspect. Unfortunately, it is in no way designed to be a true Route 66 Visitor Center or museum, nor does it have the historical knowledge of Route 66 to accomplish that goal.” The Association will convene a round table discussion among its Board of Directors to determine how it can best contribute to the success of the project  Left: Rendering of Central Ave / Route 66 facing side of Route 66 Visitor Center. Right: Rendering of event space. This area plus its kitchen and pre-function room will occupy the entire 2nd floor, totaling approximately 7,097 square feet.
In preparation for the Route 66 Centennial, the New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group is hosting a series of stakeholder meetings to gather ideas and recommendations for projects to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of Route 66 in New Mexico. At this meeting, there will be a series of roundtable discussions that will cover marketing, special events, product development, infrastructure and consumer experiences. Additionally, the Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group will host its meeting from 1-3 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and residents are encourage to participate and share their ideas. Please note (1): the venue for this meeting has changed to the Albuquerque Museum. Please note (2): There will also be a Coordination Group Meeting from 1-3 p.m. that was not mentioned in the original notice. Date: Tuesday, June 25, 2024 Stakeholder Meeting: 10 a.m.-12 noon Coordination Group Meeting: 1-3 p.m. * New Venue: Albuquerque Museum Address: 2000 Mountain Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104 Be sure to RSVP for the meeting HERE! If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact the New Mexico Tourism Department at (505) 490-7185 at least one (1) week prior to the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the New Mexico Tourism Department at (505) 490-7185 if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed  Historic Route 66 turns 100 years old in 2026, and the party has already started! The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership is helping celebrate the Mother Road’s birthday with the Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program. The grant program is one of a series of “birthday gifts” to be given to Route 66 in the years leading up to the road’s Centennial. The Road Ahead was awarded $250,000 by American Express to provide direct grants to help Black-owned and/or operated businesses and attractions along Route 66. The funds will also support research and programs that interpret and tell the stories of Black experiences associated with Route 66. The Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program is part of the Road Ahead’s 100th Anniversary of Route 66 celebration. Through the Centennial, the Road Ahead aims to help the millions of people who live, work, and travel along Route 66 with projects focused on preservation, promotion, research/education, and the economic development of Route 66. The first two rounds of the Road Ahead’s Black Experiences Grant Program were held in 2022 and 2023. In addition to this round of 2024 grants, the program will also be administered in 2025 and 2026. A total of $50,000 (10 awards of up to $,5000 each) is being awarded each year through the Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program. Established in 2016, with the support of the National Park Service and the World Monuments' Fund, The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership’s mission is to revitalize and sustain Route 66 as a national and international icon through partnerships focused on promotion, preservation, research and education, and economic development. Applications for The Black Experiences Grant Program are being accepted through Sunday, July 14, 2024, and are available at: RoadAhead.Route66Centennial.org.  The Program is one in a series of “birthday gifts” to be given to Route 66 in the years leading up to the historic road’s one-hundredth birthday in 2026. The Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program provides critical and flexible funding to businesses and attractions located along Route 66 that are majority women-owned or operated. The Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program is funded in part by a grant from the Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition to direct fundraising efforts undertaken by the Road Ahead, the public may make direct donations to the Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program online (https://100extraordinarywomen.com/route-66-extraordinary-women-initiative/). Established in 2016, with the support of the National Park Service and the World Monuments' Fund, The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership’s mission is to revitalize and sustain Route 66 as a national and international icon through partnerships focused on promotion, preservation, research and education, and economic development. The next round of The Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program will begin July 5, 2024. Program guidelines, criteria, and applications will be available at: https://roadahead.route66centennial.org/. Up to 10 grant awards of $2,000 each will be made in the next round of the program. The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership is pleased to announce ten grant awards from its Extraordinary Women Micro-Grants Program. The 2024 round of the Micro-Grant program was completed last month, with $2,000 awards made to:
The next round of The Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program will begin July 5, 2024. Program guidelines, criteria, and applications will be available at: https://roadahead.route66centennial.org/. Up to 10 grant awards of $2,000 each will be made in the next round of the program.  Left: Flora May Cordova – Route 66 Welcome Center & Gift Shop, Tucumcari, NM. Center: Heather Arnold – Routes Rentals & Tours, Albuquerque, NM. Right: Noelle Sosaya – Rat House Vintage, Albuquerque, NM.  This term leading up to the Route 66 Centennial is a crucial one as we prepare to celebrate 100 years of the Mother Road and implement projects leading up to and into the next century.
These Board of Directors bring diversity, teamwork, and their unique talents and time to our organization. We are so thankful for their tireless enthusiasm and support. The New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group is hosting its next stakeholder meeting in Santa Rosa on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. This meeting will allow residents and stakeholder groups to provide input to the Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group about the appropriate activities, projects and strategies to honor the Route 66 Centennial in 2026. Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 Time: 10 a.m.-12 noon Venue: Blue Hole Dive Center Address: 1085 Blue Hold Road, Santa Rosa, NM 88435 Be sure to RSVP for the meeting HERE! If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact the New Mexico Tourism Department at (505) 490-7185 at least one (1) week prior to the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the New Mexico Tourism Department at (505) 490-7185 if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed.  With new dates, a new route, and a classic Route 66 Land of Enchantment vibe, we are sad to announce that due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2024 motor tour has been canceled. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause and hope too have another motor tour planned soon. Check out some our previous motor tours here.  We’re thrilled to unveil the official Route 66 Centennial Logo for the New Mexico Route 66 Association designed by Darryl Willison! Join us as we celebrate a century of iconic adventures and unforgettable memories along the Mother Road! Keep your eyes peeled for exclusive merchandise featuring this stunning design, coming soon!  The New Mexico Route 66 Association announced it is the recipient of a $50,000 Preserve Route 66 Grant Fund, from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “This is an extremely high honor for the Association, and I am proud to see us recognized with this funding for our state preservation efforts,” said Melissa Lea Beasley-Lee, President of the Association.
Funds are being used to help restore many neon signs along Tucumcari’s stretch of Route 66 that were destroyed last year in a massive hailstorm. “The devastation was spread across town,” Beasley-Lee added, “and it was as if the lights went out on Route 66. We're working with businesses to replace broken parts of signs to bring them back to their shining glory again.” Businesses affected were predominantly small mom-and-pop enterprises that could not afford the financial and human resource commitment needed to repair their signs along what is arguably one of the most-photographed and admired segments of the Mother Road. “We have made multiple trips to Tucumcari to coordinate volunteers and work together to bring the magic back to this city,” she explained. The economic impact of tourists coming each year to Tucumcari specifically, and New Mexico Route 66 in general, is tallied in the many millions of dollars, and one of the main attractions is vintage signs. To be able to photograph them in operating order is typically a highlight of a Route 66 journey. The Association is no stranger to neon restoration and preservation, and in the past has contracted commercial sign companies to enable restorations. “This year, the Association has moved to a do-it-yourself capability, establishing a skilled volunteer crew to service classic roadside neon signs,” Beasley-Lee continued. “Small businesses face a cost-prohibitive situation when attempting to hire commercial sign crews, which is exacerbated for rural communities like Tucumcari where the closest commercial sign companies capable of servicing neon signs are located more than 100 miles away.” She explained that Association crews have recently saved these business owners up to 90% of the cost of repairing a sign. Efforts are ongoing until all damaged signs are repaired. Prior to the storm, work had begun creating a 30-minute Do-It-Yourself video of how to repair neon signs. It was funded by the National Park Service, with the intent for it to be made available online free of charge. The scale of the storm in Tucumcari and subsequent repair efforts provided an opportunity to have hands-on examples for more videos. The Association captured extensive video footage of the repair process, and now, as a result of these grant monies, two more videos will be produced to create a comprehensive three-part video series. “We documented every step of the process, not only for historic value, but also so that others could learn from them in the future,” Beasley-Lee commented. The completed video series will include: (1) Inner workings of a neon sign, steps to replace broken glass, lift options to reach your sign; (2) Troubleshooting a neon sign: Why is part of my sign not lighting? Why is it blinking?; and, (3) How to build a frame, bend glass, and mount a neon sign. Lastly, the Association intends to offer a free downloadable .pdf checklist to assist in assuring each step has been covered while working on a sign. “Neon signs are among the most important aspects of Historic Route 66,” Beasley-Lee asserted. “It is critical that we keep as many working as possible, while also enabling owners to do their own repairs whenever it is feasible.” For More Information, please contact: New Mexico Route 66 Association Melissa Lea Beasley-Lee, President 505-803-6966 [email protected] [email protected] New Mexico Route 66 Association Heritage Awards are presented to people and businesses that invest time, money, and resources to renovate and restore classic or iconic places of significance along Route 66 throughout New Mexico. Now is your chance to nominate yourself or others. Deadline: December 31, 2024 Read More  The U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission, established by Congress to oversee the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. Route 66 in 2026, invites submissions for national, multi-state, or single-state activities, projects, events, or programs. Submissions will be vetted by the Commission’s national working groups and those deemed appropriate will be elevated to the full Commission where approved submissions will be officially submitted to Congress as the Commission’s recommendations. The Commission seeks to commemorate the Mother Road's historic milestone and enhance its legacy through a variety of initiatives. "The Route 66 Centennial is not just a one-time celebration; it's a platform for generating national pride in the road and expanding economic opportunities for the communities that it winds through," said Jen Paul Schroer, Vice Chair of the Route 66 Centennial Commission. The Commission, comprising members from each of the eight states along Historic Route 66, is guided by seven strategic principles: 1) Celebrate & Honor, 2) Preserve, Protect & Enhance, 3) Generate Tourism Demand, 4) Tourism Development, 5) Economic Development, 6) National Collaboration, and 7) Research & Education. These principles serve as the foundation for identifying fitting and proper activities to mark this monumental occasion. CALL FOR IDEAS: FOUR FOCUS AREAS “We are calling on individuals, organizations, and communities to submit their innovative ideas, to make this event truly transformational. Concepts should fit into one of our four priority areas,” stated Rod Reid, Chair of the Route 66 Centennial Commission. The areas of focus are as follows: Commemoratives & Publications The Commission seeks ideas that recognize the role Route 66 has and continues to play in our nation’s history through projects and programs that publicly honor the Road and the people associated with it. Infrastructure The Commission seeks ideas that enhance the overall Route 66 experience for tourists and locals alike, fostering sustained economic benefits across the road through the preservation and improvement of Route 66 infrastructure assets. Events & Celebrations The Commission seeks ideas that involve the public in special, unique, and fun activities/events that mark the historic milestone of Route 66’s 100th anniversary. International & National Marketing The Commission seeks ideas that drive national and international tourism for maximum impact through visitor spending, promoting celebrations, commemorations, and other activities that honor the 100th anniversary of Route 66. SUBMISSION PROCESS Individuals, organizations, and communities are encouraged to submit their concepts through the official submission portal on the Route 66 Centennial Commission's website route66-centennial.com. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by one of four Commission Working Groups at their monthly meetings. Qualifying ideas will be forwarded to the full Route 66 Centennial Commission for consideration as officially recommended activities to Congress. Notification of Results Submissions will be notified of the results on a rolling quarterly basis, ensuring transparency throughout the review process. Rod Reid, Chair of the Route 66 Centennial Commission concluded, "The Route 66 Centennial is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase the cultural significance of this historic road. We look forward to receiving creative ideas that will shape the celebration and maintain the spirit of the highway for generations to come." For more information or to submit your ideas, please visit route66-centennial.com.  Per the same Executive Order 2023-131 that established the Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group, the first Stakeholder Meeting and first Coordination Group Meeting will be in Tucumcari, NM on February 29, 2024.
You Must SIGN UP for the meeting HERE! CENTENNIAL STAKEHOLDER MEETING Time: 10 a.m.-12 noon Location: Tucumcari Convention Center: Address: 1500 US. Rt. 66, Tucumcari, NM 88401 This meeting will provide a space for residents and other stakeholder groups to discuss appropriate activities, projects, and strategies with the Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group to honor the milestone coming up in 2026. A few items on the agenda for this meeting are:
NO ACTION ITEMS (Action Items will be discussed at the 1:30 p.m. meeting). Download official agenda (PDF) COORDINATION GROUP MEETING Time: 1:30-3 p.m. Location: Tucumcari Convention Center: Address: 1500 US. Rt. 66, Tucumcari, NM 88401 This is a meeting for the New Mexico Route 66 Centennial Coordination Group. A few items on the agenda for this meeting are:
Download official agenda (PDF) |
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