City Councilor Jeannie Cue held a news conference on January 10 with the Tulsa Route 66 Commission and Visit Tulsa to announce the start of a new Vision Tulsa Route 66 promotion – the Route 66 Special Event Matching Grant Program. The event was held at the Route 66 Redfork Train Depot, a completed Vision Tulsa project designed as an event center on Route 66.
Sponsored by the Tulsa Route 66 Commission and managed by the Tulsa Planning Office, the Special Event Matching Grant Program is designed to encourage heritage tourism and economic development through special Route 66 events held by property or business owners on Tulsa’s Route 66 alignments within the Route 66 Overlay District or defined downtown alignments.
The Route 66 Special Event Matching Grants are available for 50 percent of eligible costs of an event’s budget, up to a maximum of $5,000. Events eligible for the matching grants will be first-time events or new expansions or additions to existing events. For the initial roll-out of this program, funds for up to five maximum grants ($25,000) have been allocated, and applications will be accepted until those funds are obligated. Details about how to apply for the grants are available on the City of Tulsa website at www.cityoftulsa.org/rt66eventgrant
Events that may qualify for the grants must be free and open to the public, designed to build awareness of or drive traffic to Route 66 in Tulsa, and take place and be visible on Route 66 within the Route 66 Overlay District as established in the Tulsa zoning code map. For a complete list of requirements, see the City of Tulsa web address listed above.
To encourage participation from a variety of businesses and stronger branding for Route 66, each unique business may be awarded one special event grant annually. Events eligible for the grants must have an approved contract before they take place. The grant is reimbursed to the applicant upon completion of the event.
About Vision Tulsa
Vision Tulsa, an $884 million sales tax renewal package approved by voters in 2016, is making substantial investments in economic development, education, public safety, streets and transportation needs citywide. With citizen priorities providing the driving force behind the creation of Vision Tulsa, transformative projects and enhancements are setting the stage for a bright future for Tulsa.
About the Tulsa Route 66 Commission
By Executive Order, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission was formed to advocate heritage tourism, historic preservation, and economic development along Tulsa’s Route 66 alignments.