Mayor G.T. Bynum has announced a new Route 66 roadside attraction will be coming to Cry Baby Hill at 815 S. Riverside Drive, continuing Tulsa’s commitment to Route 66.
Ken Kelleher Sculpture was selected to help create the attraction. The concept named ‘Cry Baby Cry’ will be a sculpture with an expected height of 21 feet (similar to other historic attractions along Route 66). The project’s ultimate goal is to create an iconic Tulsa and Route 66 destination, joining our region’s constellation of roadside attractions. Renderings are expected at a later date.
Ken Kelleher has work around the world showcasing the vibrant and quaint nature of what is expected for Route 66 and Cry Baby Hill. Kelleher’s work can be found at www.kenkelleher.com/series.
“This sculpture will be quintessentially Tulsa, and I couldn’t be more excited for the enthusiasm that we all have for this stretch of our Mother Road and Cry Baby Hill,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I am thrilled to have an artist who is helping bring this idea to life, and I’m eager that Tulsa has yet another way to celebrate the most famous road in American history here in the Capital of Route 66.”
The request for proposal (RFP) for the roadside attraction was released earlier this year. As a part of that process, individuals were asked to submit designs for a Route 66 Roadside Attraction, with the goal to emphasize visibility of the Attraction from surrounding roads.
Prior to releasing the roadside attraction RFP, the City held two public meetings with neighborhood and stakeholder groups in December of 2023. A selection panel comprised of city officials, neighborhood representatives, Tulsa Arts Commission, the Route 66 Commission, Visit Tulsa and Tulsa Tough were chosen to review RFP submissions. The City received 15 responses to its RFP, with Ken Kelleher Sculpture ultimately receiving the award.
““This sculpture represents the placemaking spirit and desire that so many people have for Tulsa,” said Renee McKenney, President of Tulsa Regional Tourism and panel representative for the project. “Projects like this help make those desires a reality. Our city’s perspectives, attractions and events make us unique, and I’m excited for the tourism and visitor opportunities this new development will bring.”
The total budget for the Roadside Attraction is $250,000, with monies used coming from 2003 Vision 2025 Route 66 funding and the 2006 3rd Penny Sales Tax. The Route 66 roadside attraction is just one of three planned updates and investments in the area as part of the original 2003 ballot language that suggested multiple improvements to Route 66.
Earlier this year, the City of Tulsa released two other RFPs ahead of the Route 66 Centennial. The first is a new Route 66 commercial development at Riverside Drive and Southwest Boulevard that will integrate with the new roadside attraction and provide neighborhood-serving retail opportunities along with programmable outdoor space. The second is an Interactive Experience where the City is seeking a technology consultant to assist in the creation of digital storytelling and augmented reality technologies to provide an “outdoor museum” focused on Route 66 and the area. More information about the Route 66 commercial development and Route 66 virtual outdoor museum will be released at a later date.
For the most up to date information on Route 66 in Tulsa, including the latest updates on the trio of RFP’s planned near Cry Baby Hill and the Cyrus Avery Plaza, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/Route66.
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