The City of Tulsa is rewriting rules for a neon sign grant program after several subsidized signs were built and installed without any neon components. The grants are intended to encourage use of traditional neon along Route 66.
Neon signs are a hallmark of the highway, which was completed in 1926. For the Centennial, a surge of tourists are expected, especially for major events in Tulsa and Oklahoma City the weekend of May 30th. The Tulsa Route 66 Commission has awarded grants for neon signs since 2019.
The sign grants are limited to 50% of the cost, up to $10,000. In 2025, the sign grants included:
- Buck’s Vintage ($4,963)
- MeFreak ($1,987)
- Blue Dome Bottle ($10,000)
- Decopolis TulsaRama ($10,000)
- Capitol of Route 66 ($7.700)
- Goldsmith Shoppe ($4,237)
- Ike’s Chili ($9,251)
More than 70 signs have been subsidized over the life of the program, but there are more neon signs along the Route…