Route 66: The Road Ahead

Route 66 was included on the 2008 World Monuments Watch to draw attention to the complex challenges of preserving not only an iconic cultural landscape, but a historic American experience. Protecting the many sites along the route depends on generating new tourism and economic opportunities for the eight states and countless communities through which it passes. A groundbreaking study of the economic impacts of historic preservation and heritage tourism along the Mother Road has since been completed, and demonstrates that preserving Route 66 is a good investment. Opportu¬nities for preservation and sustainable development are on the horizon. This strategic roundtable will bring together representatives from industry, government, community groups, and not-for-profits with the aim of leveraging the new knowledge provided by the Economic Impact Study toward new opportunities for investment and innovative partnerships.