Route 66 Casino Hotel debuts renovated Stadium 66 with Caesars Sportsbook integration

Route 66 Casino Hotel has opened Stadium 66 Sports Bar, a 10,000-square-foot venue featuring a Caesars Sportsbook with five betting kiosks and five live betting windows, positioning it as one of New Mexico’s larger wagering destinations.

The venue, which debuts to the public Thursday, includes nearly 40 high-definition televisions, a 20-foot-long bar, a stage, and a full-service restaurant. Seating capacity reaches up to 250 guests.

The space has gone through several transitions since the casino’s opening in 2003, having served as a lounge bar, nightclub, and earlier version of a sports bar. Laguna Development Corp., owner and operator of Route 66 Casino Hotel, decided about 15 months ago to close the area for renovations.

Work began in August 2024 and included new floors, wall coverings, a redesigned entry point to the casino, and a remodeled kitchen with new walls, floors, and ceilings. Construction was completed last month by Klinger Constructors LLC.

"So, quite a bit of effort in the visuals. The footprint itself, we didn't change a lot," said Gary Murrey, COO of Laguna Development Corp.

Food and beverage offerings

Stadium 66 will serve craft beers, signature cocktails, and a menu built around handmade and fresh-prepared items.

"We have spent quite a bit of time refining the offerings from our handmade bread for our sandwiches to our hand-tossed dough for pizzas," Murrey said. "The recipes for our pizzas are as authentic as we can make them."

Menu items also include wings, pastas, calzones, wood-fired pizzas, the casino’s World-Famous Green Chile Stew, and the Centennial Burger, a green chile smash burger created for the upcoming 100th anniversary of Route 66 in 2026.

Ownership and operations

Laguna Development Corp., created in 1998 and owned by the Pueblo of Laguna, manages the casino property located about 20 miles west of Albuquerque at 14500 Central SW in Rio Puerco. The Route 66 Casino Hotel features a 154-room hotel, which opened in 2007.

The Stadium 66 project is part of a series of property upgrades carried out by the corporation in recent years, including work on Legends Theater, Thunder Road Steakhouse & Cantina, and the addition of a Laguna Burger outlet.

The new sports bar has created approximately 36 jobs, all newly filled positions. In addition to dining and wagering, the corporation plans to schedule comedy acts, karaoke, and small band performances in the space later this year.

Murrey did not disclose the cost of the renovation but described the project as the "next natural progression" for the property.

"The team at Route 66 is incredibly excited to finally open Stadium 66 Sports Bar and sportsbook after months of menu development, service training, food and drink testing, and event planning," said Route 66 Casino Hotel General Manager Adrian Fox.