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The Edelbrock Sick 66 Drag Racing Cruise event comes to five Route 66 states October 10-18! Sick the Magazine is hosting a drag racing series event across Route 66 from Missouri to New Mexico. “Six individual tracks will host eight-mile drag races, after which racers will be driving those same racecars down Historic Route 66 with checkpoints along the way.” Two of the nine days will include “pit stops” in New Mexico:
Be sure to check out Sick the Magazine for the latest updates to the route. https://www.sickthemagazine.com/sick-66/  With the 100th anniversary of Route 66 coming up in 2026, the City of Albuquerque is working with 14 local businesses and property owners to restore vintage signs along the “Mother Road.” The City of Albuquerque Department of Arts & Culture and Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency is investing $432,000 in the Revamp Route 66: Sign Improvement Grant Program. As of mid-September, a little over one year after the program was announced, new and restored signs are popping up across the city. Some businesses like Root 66 Barber and The Imperial Inn have already had their signs finished. The 5501 Plaza and the Dog House said their signs are almost complete. “It’s been an honor to get it for sure. These signs aren’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination and it’s not something we would have probably invested that much money in. So to be awarded that really meant a lot to us,” said Dacia Weist, owner of 5501 Plaza and program participant. “It’s going to be great; because it’s going to show, it’s neon. So we are looking forward to it, and hopefully it will attract more people,” said Vicki Jaramillo, general manager of Dog House. KRQE NEWS 13 compiled a list and photo gallery to track the transformation of the signs at the 14 establishments participating in the Route 66 sign program. Read More Source: WRKG News Story by Fallon Fischer, Jessica Salinas  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  While in Albuquerque for their annual face-to-face meetings this summer, The Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership was thrilled to be treated to a personal tour of Glorieta Station by owners Ed and Carlos Garcia. Also in attendance were members of the National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and University of New Mexico Research Center. Attendees were treated to libations as the Garcias and New Mexico state hostess for the event, President Melissa Beasley-Lee, welcomed them. Everyone was in awe as their tour guides led them through several areas of the main complex, while sharing historic information and personal stories behind everything from neon and other classic signs, gas pumps, cars, tractors, and a collection of Fred Harvey era furniture and fixtures. The fun didn't stop there ... Next, everyone climbed aboard a personal trolley as Carlos, playing chauffer, gave a tour of other surrounding buildings they own and what their plans are for them as they relate to the entire complex. The trolley brought them to the newest building housing more neon signs. Road Ahead Chair, Bill Thomas, commented "This place is absolutely amazing! I can't believe how much the Garcias have invested in their state and local history. In seeing all of this and talking with them, you can tell they take great pride in being the custodians of New Mexico and other states' history".  Brothers Carlos (left) and Ed (right) Garcia with the group.  |
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