El Reno captured another Route 66 grant that will help move the project known as “The Hub” forward and if all goes to plan, keep visitors in town a little longer.

City Manager Matt Sandidge said El Reno was awarded $725,000 from the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission on Tuesday.

Sandidge is a member of the commission. He abstained from the El Reno vote.

“I was very excited because there were 72 projects that were competing for funding,” Sandidge said. “I had to read each one and score them and there were some very good projects.” He said he was pleased fellow commission members saw the value of the El Reno proposal.

This is the second grant El Reno has received for a Route 66 project.

The Filling Station was earlier awarded $1.2 million and it transformed a vacant 1950s service station into a colorful tourist stop on Route 66.

Visitors from every state and dozens of foreign countries have signed the guest book at the Filling Station and have had their photos taken in front of the massive mural created by artist Chris Small.

Sandidge said when the final votes were taken, the Route 66 Commission had awarded $3.3 million to projects scattered across the state along the Mother Road.

The Hub is expected to cost around $2 million in total. Sandidge said that figure includes the acquisition and demolition which has already been completed.

The total also includes overhead electrical line burial, traffic signal relocation and other associated site improvements, he said.

When complete, it will give El Reno “one of the best looking” corners in Oklahoma. Directly south of the Filling Station at Sunset and Choctaw, The Hub will provide more parking and “curb appeal” on Route 66, which cuts through the heart of El Reno.

It will also provide a permanent home for the movie-version of the Heritage Express Trolley.

Universal Studios built a replica of the trolley for the Twisters movie that was filmed here.

The Twisters trolley was damaged in the movie, but it has been fixed up and will provide another photo opportunity for Route 66 travelers.

Mayor Steve Jensen said the grant is “a really big deal for El Reno.”

He said the city has been working with Sacred Heart Catholic Church and OG&E on plans to improve the entire block. The church owns parking just to the west of The Hub.

“Our project is shovel ready,” Jensen said.

He said Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell had praised the proposed project.

“He (Pinnell) said there aren’t that many communities that have the infrastructure to host 50 to 60 people when they get off a tour bus, but El Reno has that with shops and restaurants and now we'll have more parking so they can stay here longer.”

Sandidge said there will be another round of Route 66 grant funding in the spring.

He said the commission voted to remain intact as long as funding is provided from the state Legislature.

Jensen said he expects the funding to continue because Route 66 is a major tourism draw for the state.

“It’s the most recognized highway in the world and we sit right at the crossroads of it,” he said.

“This is a great deal for El Reno and for Oklahoma.”