66 Bowl sign being resurrected in Chandler

The venerable 66 Bowl sign that once graced Route 66 in Oklahoma City for 50 years has resurfaced in Chandler, Oklahoma, at a future sports and entertainment complex that will include, yes, a bowling alley.

A Facebook post of the sign by longtime Route 66 researcher and artist Jerry McClanahan caused a stir Monday.

Marilyn Emde, director of the Chandler Area Chamber of Commerce, said the 66 Bowl sign in Chandler is the genuine article that stood in OKC.

She said the sports complex’s developer, Sid Hayes, bought the sign some time ago and refurbished it. Neon lighting will be installed in the sign in the coming weeks, probably before the end of April, Emde said.

In fact, McClanahan noted in a post Tuesday an electrical crew working on the sign that day.

Emde said the sports complex, which is still being constructed with no set opening date, is near the Sonic Drive-In restaurant on the east side of town — on Route 66, naturally.

The JYD Team in Oklahoma City purchased and took down the sign in October 2010. The 66 Bowl itself was sold earlier that year to an Indian grocery store after its longtime owner, Jim Haynes, cited health problems and investments that went sour.

The 66 Bowl had operated on Route 66 since 1959. In its later years, it also gained notice as a venue for punk-rock and rockabilly bands, including a show by Wanda Jackson in 2009 for the 66 Bowl’s 50th anniversary. Jackson had met her future husband at the bowling alley many years before.

Despite its demise, 66 Bowl continues to spark a lot of interest in the Oklahoma City region. A noted guitar builder in Nashville recently fashioned limited-edition electric guitars from the venue’s bowling lanes.

UPDATE 4/16/2016: And the neon is installed and working. Yes, it’s animated.

(Image of the refurbished 66 Bowl sign by Jerry McClanahan via Facebook)