The City of Tulsa chose a local developer to build a hotel, restaurant, bar and pool near Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza and Cry Baby Hill that would “enhance Route 66.”
According to a news release from the city, Sharp Development was picked to develop the site at 815 Riverside Drive, less than a block from Route 66 adjacent to the Arkansas River.
The conceptual development named Palmera Motor Court features a retro-inspired 45-50 room hotel, with an approximately 4,000 square-foot restaurant, along with a pool and poolside bar – all designed to reflect the unique spirit and history of Route 66, featuring tributes to the road’s storied past and Cry Baby Hill.
The local developer, Sharp Development, engaged local architecture firm Studio 45 Architects to create a new “Must Stop” for Route 66 travelers, local neighbors, and users of River Parks trails and Zink Lake. The hotel’s amenities will be accessible to Tulsans, as well as a lure for Route 66 tourists.
KRMG radio in Tulsa snagged a few artist’s renderings of the Palmera Motor Court project. In one of them, the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza bridge is visible in the background:
Construction on the project is expected to be finished by Route 66’s centennial in November 2026.
The city is providing up to $4.5 million in public funds and a long-term land lease to complete the project, plus up to $2.9 million of investments at the site.
Cry Baby Hill is a key site at the annual Tulsa Tough bicycle racing festival, where the city chose a much-discussed “Cry Baby Cry” sculpture design at the hill.
The city has tried for almost 20 years to develop the site — including the ambitious Route 66 Experience museum and hotel project. But they kept falling through for varying reasons, mainly lack of funding.
—