The New Mexico Racing Commission today approved the move of the Downs at Albuquerque from the New Mexico state fairgrounds to the Route 66 town of Moriarty, N.M., about 40 miles east, reports KRQE-TV. Planned is a 500-acre, $65 million facility at Highway 41 and Interstate 40. That is very close to Highway 333, aka … Continue reading Horse-racing track in Moriarty approved
Category: Towns
POPS doubles Arcadia’s sales-tax revenue
I can't say that I'm surprised by this story from the Edmond (Okla.) Sun: The most recent Oklahoma Tax Commission figures indicates that Arcadia’s sales tax revenue has doubled since POPS opened there last August. [...] August to January sales tax revenue is $123,365 compared to $59,137 for those months of the previous calendar year. … Continue reading POPS doubles Arcadia’s sales-tax revenue
A closer look at the Cyrus Avery Plaza
If you're traveling west on Route 66 near downtown Tulsa, here's a new sight you'll encounter on Southwest Boulevard approaching the Arkansas River. This is the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza. The Tulsa World on Sunday had an update about this particular Route 66 project, which should be finished sometime later this year. A big bronze … Continue reading A closer look at the Cyrus Avery Plaza
Another honor for Joliet
The honors keep coming for the city of Joliet, Ill., and its Route 66 promotion efforts. According to the Joliet Herald-News, the Publicity Club of Chicago gave a Gold Trumpet award. The award recognizes the Joliet Visitors Bureau's 2007 Joliet Kicks-Off on Route 66 Event and celebration for creative planning and implementation of a special … Continue reading Another honor for Joliet
Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms
The town of Miami, Okla., has made ambitious (and welcome) plans to play up its Route 66 connection in recent months. If all those additional Route 66 tourists show up, they'll need a place to stay. Miami has that covered, too -- the number of hotel rooms in the city are projected to nearly double … Continue reading Miami seeing spike in hotel rooms
Berdoo Bikes festival will return
The first Berdoo Bikes & Blues Rendezvous in San Bernardino, Calif., was declared a success, and will return next year, organizers told the San Bernardino County Sun. it was estimated optimistically that it would draw 3,000 registered motorcycles and 12,000 paying spectators. The actual number was 1,500 bikes and 7,000 spectators. Despite the shortfall, organizers … Continue reading Berdoo Bikes festival will return
Design proposed for downtown Miami
The Miami (Okla.) News-Herald reported that landscape architecture students have made their recommendations "Miami Beautiful" -- a revamped downtown area. The students clearly took the "Miami Beautiful" name from the historic Coleman Theatre Beautiful in downtown. According to the project material, the concept features Main Street as “center stage,” while the parking lots and alleys … Continue reading Design proposed for downtown Miami
Rail and road attractions
The Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press published a feature called Sunday Drive, for folks who want explore the high desert without shelling out a lot for gasoline. This one focuses a lot on the Harvey House in Barstow (which houses the Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum) and another restored railroad station in the settlement of … Continue reading Rail and road attractions
Frigid weather suppresses crowds at Red Carpet event
A report by the Morris (Ill.) Daily Herald indicates that attendance at the second annual Illinois Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festival was hurt by cold weather on Saturday, but it rebounded somewhat when the temperatures improved on Sunday. And there's sentiment to push the festival deeper into the summer months: Several community members said … Continue reading Frigid weather suppresses crowds at Red Carpet event
A visit to the Elk City museum
Here's two videos of a family's visit to the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, Okla. Legend has it that the museum was started because Elk City was miffed that a rival town, Clinton, landed the internationally famous Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. Clinton still has the best overall Route 66 museum. Elk City's is … Continue reading A visit to the Elk City museum