Bernalillo County to donate Route 66 Visitor Center to the city

The Route 66 Visitor Center will soon belong to the city of Albuquerque.

Last Tuesday, the Bernalillo County Commission unanimously voted to donate the Route 66 Visitor Center to the city of Albuquerque.

The visitors center is located on Central near Atrisco Vista just outside Albuquerque’s western boundary on Nine Mile Hill.

West Central Community Board President Twyla McComb said in an email the transfer “was not a surprise to us.”

“We have been actively engaged in discussions with both the county and city for several months to facilitate this transition smoothly,” she said. “Bernalillo County’s decision to conclude their agreement with us is part of this transition. After the transfer, they will not continue holding contracts for this facility.”

To complete the transfer of the visitor center, the county will have to terminate an agreement with the West Central Community Development Group, County Manager Julie Morgas Baca said at the commissioners meeting. With county approval, the transfer will go to the State Board of Finance at the end of March.

On Feb. 20, the county sent West Central a termination letter that goes into effect on March 21 then “the city will take it from there,” county spokeswoman Tia Bland said.

The city and county began discussing the idea of transferring ownership in September 2023. Both the city and the county have invested in the Route 66 Visitors Center since the inception of the project, she said.

The cost to build the center was about $13.2 million. The county put in $3.8 million. The rest came from the city, $5.6 million, and state capital outlay, $3.8 million, Bland said.

The county contracted with West Central Development Group to manage the facility, which includes plans for a tap room, event banquet services, museum and more. The city already operates facilities that have similar amenities, Bland said.

“The city was interested in acquiring the visitors center, and it’s better suited to the management and operation of this kind of venue,” she said.

The Visitors Center was funded, designed, constructed, and equipped through an intergovernmental agreement between the county and city. The approximately 21,667-square-foot building was completed in 2023.

McComb thanked the county for “their stewardship of the project.”

“Their expertise and guidance brought this project to fruition,” she said. “Without their tireless hard work and dedication to our vision, we would not have been able to do this.”

The visitors center is open to the public Wednesday-Friday, though work is not complete. The West Central Community website states it is in a “move-in” phase and “certain areas of the visitor center may still be under construction or undergoing final touches.”

Attempts were made to reach Mayor Tim Keller’s office and City Councilor Klarissa Peña for comment, but they did not respond as of Monday afternoon.

Journal staff writer Cathy Cook contributed to this story.