New $30K website unveiled as city gears up for Route 66 centennial celebration
The website was announced Tuesday to a room packed full of officials and community leaders inside the city's Route 66 Visitor Center, which has struggled to consistently keep its doors open since a ribbon cutting in 2022.
In 2026, Albuquerque will celebrate the 100th birthday of its main thoroughfare, U.S. Route 66 — one of the country's first highways.
The event took place outside city limits on the second floor of the unopened center, a project that's been decades in the making and has snowballed into an over $13 million cost.
An opening date for the center has still not been given, but back in October, the Journal was told the center would be running by May.
The new website cost $34,000 to develop, according to Brenna Moore, spokesperson for Visit Albuquerque. It features a countdown to 2026 and will eventually have a list of centennial-related events.
"If you drive down Central Avenue, it really is a hop, skip and a jump away from everything. If you can just visualize getting off the interstate, coming to the visitor center, going down the hill," City Councilor Klarissa Peña said.
Peña, who has long advocated for the center that sits just outside her district, thanked members in attendance from the Hispano Chamber and West Central Community Development Group for their participation in the project, including former West Central Community Development President and her husband, Johnny Peña.
As the centennial creeps closer, Mayor Tim Keller spoke on the excitement for the visitor center to open and the local challenges facing the historic highway.
"We have this facility, and we have it just in time to fully utilize as the headquarters for the centennial," Keller said. "Now that you're all here, I think you can see why it is the absolute perfect spot. It is also something, by the way, no one else in America has."
However, there are other Route 66 visitor centers across the country, including ones in Texas, Illinois, Missouri and one in Kansas that — like New Mexico's — is listed as temporarily closed.
"We also want to do what we can to try and clean up Route 66 in all sorts of ways, and obviously that means things like crime-fighting and that sort of thing, which we're going to try and do as best we can," Keller said.
Preparations for the celebration come at a time when local law enforcement is targeting the historic highway, which in certain corridors has become synonymous with homelessness and open-air drug use.
New Mexico State Police, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney Sam Bregman announced "Operation Route 66" during a news conference Monday. The operation seeks to crack down on crime in the International District.
In October, the Albuquerque Police Department said dealing with the use of fentanyl and other hard drugs along Central was its top priority.
Additionally, the city's encampment abatement policy shifted in December to prioritize and target tents and carts set along Central. The previous policy listed children's parks and community centers as the areas of most crucial concern.
However, the mayor's office denied the change had any correlation to the upcoming centennial celebrations.
"The recent revision was a routine update to our citywide encampment policy. Since we took office, we have focused on Central," Staci Drangmeister, a spokesperson for Keller, said in a statement.
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National Geographic
5 days ago
- National Geographic
This Illinois city should be the first stop on your Route 66 road trip
World-renown Route 66 starts in downtown Chicago. But you'll want to motor west to Springfield, roughly 200 miles from the Windy City, to find the best of the Mother Road. 'The big cities don't have as much of a Route 66 feel because they don't rely on something like that for tourism,' says author Joe Sonderman, who has written 13 books about the iconic highway, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026. Sonderman adds, 'Chicago has its Route 66 spots, but when you get to Springfield, you really feel it.' The Illinois capital boasts dozens of sites linked to the Main Street of America, from old diners and vintage gas pumps to new attractions, like a quarter-mile stretch of the original road that debuted as a walking trail this summer. Vigango, sacred wooden memorial statues of the Mijikenda people of Kenya, can be found at the Illinois State Museum, one of several attractions road trippers will find making a detour off U.S. Route 66 in Springfield, Ill. Photograph by Richard Barnes, Nat Geo Image Collection Travelers seeking nostalgic things to do can catch a movie at the Route 66 Drive-In in Springfield, Ill. Photograph by Richard Brown, Alamy Stock Photo 'We have about 60 Route 66 attractions in Springfield. That's a lot,' says Scott Dahl, director of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. 'We want to keep building on that leading into next year's centennial.' Here's how to get your Route 66 fix in Springfield, an ideal road trip from both Chicago and St. Louis. (This is the loneliest road in America) Head for the fairgrounds Some 300 miles of historic Route 66 slices through the Land of Lincoln from Chicago to the Mississippi River. Take a stroll through a scaled-down version of Illinois's portion of the federal highway at the Route 66 Experience. Opened in 2023, the free exhibit at the Illinois State Fairgrounds includes kitschy billboards, a drive-in movie theater screen and a tribute to 'muffler men,' the huge statues businesses put up to grab the attention of Route 66 motorists. (One of these fiberglass giants still stands outside Lauterbach Tire & Auto Service. A tornado took off his head nearly two decades ago, but he's back to normal now.) The walking path meant to loosely mimic Route 66 leads to a series of sheds filled with photos from the 92 Illinois communities along the legendary road. 'If anybody wants a quick history of Route 66, that's the place to go,' says Dwight Cannon, president of the Route 66 Association of Illinois. The fairgrounds are also home to Legends Neon Park, a collection of replicas of roadside signs that once cast their colorful glow on Route 66. For the full effect, go at night when the signs are lit up. If you're itching for more, take a tour of the museum at Ace Sign Co., a long-running business whose neon creations flanked the iconic road. Learn about Black history An old Texaco gas station has been transformed into a classroom of sorts, with exhibits and technology telling stories of the Black experience on Route 66 during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras. Book an appointment in advance at the Route History Museum for a 20-minute virtual reality session. You'll don a headset to travel back in time to Illinois cities featured in The Negro Motorist Green Book, a guide directing Black travelers to safe businesses in the racially segregated Jim Crow era, as well as 'sundown towns' that were dangerous for Blacks after dark. 'It's a unique Route 66 story you don't find being told in a lot of places,' Dahl says. (Life after the 'Green Book': What is the future for Black travelers in America?) New kicks on 66 Mother Nature had almost reclaimed a section of Springfield's original Route 66 alignment, a 16-foot-wide concrete ribbon wending through the woods. As of July, it once again started welcoming traffic—foot traffic—when it reopened as a walking trail in Carpenter Park. 'It's a quarter mile of untouched pavement,' Cannon says about this segment of the route, which was abandoned in 1936 in favor of a four-lane alternative. 'Now you can see what people first drove on: this little, narrow road, the original superhighway,' he adds. Another new Route 66 attraction revolves around former Springfield resident Bob Waldmire, a nomadic hippie and artist whose detailed maps, postcards, and murals are known around the globe. 'For a lot of people, Bob Waldmire epitomizes Route 66,' Cannon says. The Fillmore character in Disney-Pixar's Cars movie franchise was modeled after Waldmire and his 1972 Volkswagen van. The yellow VW Microbus is on display at the Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac, about 100 miles northeast of the state capital. An exhibit showcasing the late artist's work—and his eccentric personality—debuted this summer at The Pharmacy Gallery and Art Space in Springfield. It runs through Dec. 19, 2026. (Route 66: America's most celebrated road trip is going electric) Drivers may catch a glimpse of the Illinois State Capitol building when passing through Springfield. Photograph by Jim WEST, Report Digital-REA/Redux History buffs can visit this statue of Abraham Lincoln located outside of his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Ill., and a short drive from the historic Route 66. Photograph by Joel Sartore, Nat Geo Image Collection Fill up on food—and more Waldmire's father, Ed, was a Route 66 institution, too. Not because of his art, but because of his cooking. In the 1940s, Ed Waldmire Jr. created the cozy dog, a battered, deep-fried hot dog on a stick. He sold the crunchy concoction at his Cozy Dog Drive-In on Route 66. More than 75 years later, the Waldmire family still uses Ed's batter recipe to make its requisite Route 66 treat at Springfield's retro diner, where you can wash down a cozy dog with a bottle of Route 66 Root Beer. You also can stock up on plenty of Mother Road merch, including Route 66 postcards designed by Bob. (Fun fact: Bob was a vegan.) As you might guess from its name, a lot more than food is on the menu at Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill, Museum and Entertainment Complex. The sprawling compound is tricked out with neon signs, memorabilia, classic cars and what claims to be the world's largest Route 66 emblem. Save room—lots of room—for Motorheads' spin on a Springfield staple, the horseshoe. It's an open-faced sandwich of thick slabs of toasted bread topped with meat, fries, and cheese sauce. The horseshoe name stems from the shape of the cut of ham used in the original sandwich, first served in 1928 at a now defunct hotel on Route 66. Some of Motorheads' Route 66 artifacts were salvaged from Shea's Gas Station. The old filling station was turned into a beloved museum by its owner, auto enthusiast, and collector Bill Shea. After Shea's death in 2013, the building was sold, and its contents were put on the auction block. But like other treasures on Route 66, Shea's is making a comeback. The exterior has been restored and the formerly fenced-off grounds reopened to the public in 2024. 'We've added some gas pumps and keep enhancing it,' Dahl says. 'We can't guarantee it, but we're hoping to have the interior open for the centennial year.' Getting there Springfield is about a three-hour drive from Chicago and roughly 90 minutes from St. Louis. We recommend travelers slow down to see the Route 66 sites, including the American Giants Museum in Atlanta (don't miss the pie at Country-Aire Restaurant) and the welcoming West End Service Station in Edwardsville. Where to stay The 288-room Crowne Plaza Springfield-Convention Center has all the amenities of a large hotel, with overnight rates starting around $125. For a more intimate stay at a similar price, the Inn at 835 is a B&B on the National Register of Historic Places. It has 11 rooms in the main building and two suites in the nearby Bell House. When to go Simply put, Springfield's winters are cold, and the summers are hot. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit. Every autumn, Springfield hosts the Route 66 Mother Road Festival, featuring classic cars and live entertainment. Keep in mind that the capital can get busy in mid-August, when it's the site of the annual Illinois State Fair. Lori Rackl is the former travel editor of the Chicago Tribune whose work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Texas Highways, Midwest Living and many newspapers. Follow her on Instagram.
New York Post
28-07-2025
- New York Post
Las Vegas's tipped workers say their income has fallen by more than half as tourism plunges
Las Vegas' hospitality workers have seen their income from tips plunge by as much as 50% — despite the recently passed no tax on tips law — as tourism to Sin City takes a hit from President Trump's global trade war. Overall visitations to the city are down more than 6% through the first half of the year, with April 2025 recording just over 3.3 million visitors, representing a 5.1% drop from the previous April, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Airport traffic has also decreased, with April passenger traffic at Harry Reid International Airport totaling 4.7 million, down 3.4% from April 2024. Advertisement 3 Las Vegas hospitality workers report significant decreases in tip income as tourism declines more than 6% in 2025. lucky-photo – International visitor arrivals fell over 13% in June compared to the previous year, while domestic travel saw a 6.5% decline year-over-year, based on CoStar data. The overall decline in tourism has hurt service sector workers who were expecting to benefit from Trump's campaign pledge to eliminate taxes on tips. The legislation was included in the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' signed earlier this month, and exempted up to $25,000 in annual tips from personal income taxes — retroactive to the start of the year. Advertisement 'No tax on tips, that's a rad thing. But it doesn't really do us much good if there isn't any people to get tips from,' Charlie Mungo, a 36-year-old tattoo artist in downtown Las Vegas, told the Wall Street Journal. Mungo said he has made about $1,500 a month in recent months. He added that Canadian customers, who made up about 30% of his clientele, have vanished. Advertisement 'We're all starting to freak out,' he told the Journal. 3 April passenger traffic at Harry Reid International Airport totaled 4.7 million, down 3.4% from April 2024. Aerial Film Studio – Workers across various sectors report similar income reductions. Jacob Soto, a 22-year-old supervisor at Pinkbox Doughnuts downtown, told the Journal that his weekly credit-card tips dropped from between $175 and $200 to anywhere from $100 to $150. With his $15-per-hour wage insufficient to cover basic expenses, Soto said: 'I kinda rely on tips at the end of the day.' Advertisement The empty feeling is apparent on the usually buzzing Las Vegas Strip. Hotel occupancy rates have declined to approximately 66.7% in early July compared to the same period last year, according to the LVCVA. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! 'Vegas is not fun anymore,' Amrita Bhasin, a retail-industry entrepreneur, told MarketWatch. She said that hotels in the city can charge as much as $50 in resort fees that make their stay even more expensive. Rising prices affect both workers and tourists. Wally Weidner, a 67-year-old Wisconsin visitor, said he's reconsidering his tipping practices. 'Just because prices went up doesn't mean I should pay more tip,' Weidner said. 3 Hotel occupancy rates have declined to approximately 66.7% in early July 2025 as visitors stay away from Sin City. – At Mon Ami Gabi restaurant on the Strip, a dinner-menu cheeseburger with fries now costs $30.95 plus tax and tip, compared to $16.95 four years ago. Advertisement Rory Kuykendall, a 41-year-old California native who moved to Las Vegas a decade ago, works as a graveyard-shift bellperson at the Flamingo hotel and casino. Tips constitute 25% to 70% of his income depending on weekly business levels, according to the Journal. Kuykendall described his recent tip income as 'underwhelming' while facing increased costs for groceries and car insurance. Advertisement He has reduced personal spending to manage finances. 'It really feels off,' he told the Journal.
Travel Weekly
28-07-2025
- Travel Weekly
Kristen Reynolds of Choose Chicago on seeing a city from a visitor's perspective
Kristen Reynolds became CEO of Choose Chicago, the city's tourism marketing organization, six weeks before the city hosted U.S. Travel's annual IPW conference in June. Formerly CEO of Discover Long Island, Reynolds also worked with the Arizona Office of Tourism and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. News editor Johanna Jainchill spoke with Reynolds at IPW about the Route 66 centennial, the Canada market and being nimble. Kristen Reynolds Q: What's something that's stuck out for you since you took over at Choose Chicago? A: A lot of people say, "How do you represent a city that you are not from or you don't know," and it was the same thing when I went to New York from Arizona. But I see it from a visitor's perspective, and sometimes it's the best way to kind of pull out all the wonderful things that a city has to offer and that locals might sometimes take for granted or not realize is really special because you see it every day. So moving to Chicago, being a visitor in my own city, is so incredible. I get to see it every day and am just awe-inspired by the beauty, the experiences and most of all, the friendliness. Q: How will Chicago celebrate Route 66's 100th anniversary in 2026? A: We are the beginning of Route 66, and the team has already spent the last year preparing for that, putting mile markers in specific locations, making sure that people understand the exact spot where Route 66 starts -- which is essentially the Art Institute [of Chicago]. The Art Institute has a whole Route 66 tour you can do. We want to work together with the other Route 66 destinations; it's not about each individual place. We've got things cooking for all the destinations, where visitors can come and get one seamless experience. Related: Tour operators and destinations begin preparations now for America's 250th birthday Q: You started this job at a time when inbound travel numbers were down. What are you seeing now? A: Last year, we reached a record-breaking 2 million international visitors. We want to grow that, but that's 2 million out of 55 million visitors. We rely more heavily on domestic visitors. What we're seeing is flat to slightly up from a lot of inbound markets, particularly Latin America, with a dip, certainly, from Canada. To mitigate that, we've got some fun promotions we're talking about. Hosting IPW really helps to expose Chicago. It's a great opportunity for us to remind people about things like Route 66 and that the Obama Center opens next year (the Center includes a museum and presidential library). We're doing our best to stay in the marketplace and continue to welcome those visitors, but we're also looking at people domestically who aren't traveling as much internationally as they have in the past and trying to capture that market, as well. Q: I've been hearing that from other destinations: They're shifting marketing from Canada. A: I've been in this industry for 27 years now. I've been through 9/11, I've been through recessions. And of course, the pandemic. This is not the first time our industry has gone through challenges. Being nimble and being able to change your strategy and look at emerging markets and make sure you're seizing every opportunity is how destinations stay successful. Q: What's behind your new campaign, "Never Done. Never Outdone"? A: We asked community members,'What do you think of this city? What represents you?' The message that came out is, "We're never done. We're always changing and evolving, and we can say we're the best." So we're going back out into those communities and saying, "What are you the best at? How can we promote you?" And that really helps, because visitors want a campaign and a destination that is authentic and really represents the local community. It's important for us to make sure we're representing every aspect of our city.
