A developer wants to convert the historic Gold Dome building in Oklahoma City into a music concert site, but he'll have to do it without historic tax credits or grants from the state's Route 66 commission. Instead, Mike Brown, president of Tulsa-based Kismet Koncerts, will seek $3 million in local tax increment financing to renovate the site, … Continue reading Historic tax credits rejected to convert Gold Dome in OKC into a music venue
Category: Businesses
Grand Canyon Caverns schedules grand reopening for tours on Feb. 1
Grand Canyon Caverns, hampered by an elevator mishap into the caverns two years ago, recently announced it would hold a grand reopening event for its tours on Feb. 1. The office manager for the caverns' marketing arm in an email also revealed other improvements at the Route 66 site: We are under new ownership/management and … Continue reading Grand Canyon Caverns schedules grand reopening for tours on Feb. 1
A 1959 Christmas card from Snortin’ Norton
If you want a Route 66-themed Christmas card, you could do much worse than this one issued in 1959 for Campbell 66 Express trucking company based out of Springfield, Missouri. Richard Crabtree posted the image on the Springfield, Missouri History, Landmarks & Vintage photography page on Facebook. The camel called Snortin' Norton (with the motto … Continue reading A 1959 Christmas card from Snortin’ Norton
Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026
The owners of Roy's Motel & Cafe in Amboy, California, hope to have the restaurant and it six small cottages reopened by Route 66's centennial in 2026. That factoid was part of a feature in The Guardian newspaper in London about Roy's and the Okura family, who own the complex and the town. Albert Okura, … Continue reading Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026
Forthcoming Hotrod Hangout in Galena soon will include an operating Valentine diner
The Hotrod Hangout Speed Shop & Diner, which will open soon in Galena, Kansas, will include an original Valentine diner operating as soon as this spring. The speed shop inside will include elements of an old-time Fina gas station and a drive-in theatre, complete with a ticket booth, which the owner hopes will become a … Continue reading Forthcoming Hotrod Hangout in Galena soon will include an operating Valentine diner
Buc-ee’s opens in Amarillo, the second location near Route 66 corridor
A new Buc-ee's convenience store opened Monday on the east side of Amarillo, Texas -- the 66th location in the Texas-based chain and the second near the Route 66 corridor. The first Buc-ee's along Route 66 opened in December 2023 in Springfield, Missouri. The opening ceremony included George Strait's classic song "Amarillo by Morning" being … Continue reading Buc-ee’s opens in Amarillo, the second location near Route 66 corridor
Route 66 advocate Mary Beth Babcock named Tulsan of the Year
Entrepreneur Mary Beth Babcock was named one of the Tulsa World's Tulsans of the Year for her advocacy of local tourism, especially along Route 66. Babcock opened the Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 in a former gas station in 2018, then added a specially commissioned, 21-foot-tall fiberglass giant named Buck Atom at the store … Continue reading Route 66 advocate Mary Beth Babcock named Tulsan of the Year
Promoter wants to buy Gold Dome in Oklahoma City, turn it into a music venue
A Tulsa-based music promoter wants to buy the closed Gold Dome building in Oklahoma City and transform it into a live music venue. Mike Brown, president of Kismet Koncerts, has requested $3 million in public assistance for the project, reported The Oklahoman (subscription required). The money would come from tax-increment financing. Kismet owns and operates … Continue reading Promoter wants to buy Gold Dome in Oklahoma City, turn it into a music venue
Ida Red General Store in Tulsa is selling a Route 66 snow globe
Ida Red General Store, specializing in Oklahoma-made gifts, is selling a handpainted, Route 66-themed snow globe featuring several Route 66 landmarks in the Sooner State. Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association who helped get clearances for the creation, showed the snow globe in a video: The landmarks I spotted in the snow … Continue reading Ida Red General Store in Tulsa is selling a Route 66 snow globe
Man who’s revived Biti Pies in Amarillo wants to expand its reach on Route 66 corridor
The man who has revived Biti Pies in Amarillo, Texas, says he wants to expand the brand's production along the entire length of Route 66's 2,400-mile corridor. According to a lengthy story by the Amarillo Globe-News, Antonio Charles revived Biti Pies after the company's three-year hiatus, including its so-called Maryland House just of the Sixth … Continue reading Man who’s revived Biti Pies in Amarillo wants to expand its reach on Route 66 corridor