A Visit to the Route 66 Casino and Winrock Center

The drive to the Route 66 Casino is nice enough, with the looming mesas and distant mountains keeping you company. After visiting the Flying J Truck Center going west, I saw almost nothing of a civilized world. Once I climbed a huge incline and navigated the crest of a nice sized hill, I began driving down the other side expecting more hillside.

I was immediately struck by a view to the west that seemed to go on forever. “My gosh, what a fantastic view,” I said to no one. I was looking down into a wide, expansive, beautiful valley below me as I began my descent. I felt like I was on the rim of a humungous cereal bowl looking down at my breakfast, in this case a valley that stretched for miles below me in delicious splendor.

The entire panorama would have been breathtaking but for the site of the Route 66 Casino complex 4 miles away in the distance, dotting the landscape like some space ship that took a wrong turn and crash landed in the New Mexican desert. Still minutes away, I could see the casino complex surrounded by the desert landscape in the valley and thought, “What a way to ruin a majestic view and damage God’s handiwork.”

My thoughts of the landscape soon vanished however, as I was eager to check out the poker room. Beautiful landscapes are certainly nice, but so are well-run poker rooms.

The road construction at the casino was horrible. The section of highway directly in front of the complex was being repaved, in addition it looked as if a new ramp, service road, and bridge were under construction. A motel is also being built next door and looked like a mess.

I finally made it to the parking lot and looked for the entrance. My first impressions? Old, worn out, musty, the “old school”, not glitzy at all but rather a cheap imitation of nicer places—these were my thoughts as I walked inside. I’m not sure when the casino was built, but it must have been years ago. The smell inside was musty, carpets well worn, and I couldn’t help but think that I was going back in time to an era of gambling before the glitz mongers of Vegas began to add glitter and shine to casino properties. (I’m no expert on casino history, just giving you an idea of what I was thinking). Everything in the place seemed to speak of the old days, including the huge WSOP slots with Doyle Brunson’s face and Stetson cowboy hat staring at you as you walked by. I liked the place.

The poker room, however was a little disappointing because of its size. I had no idea it would be so small. I only saw 8 tables with no action. The room itself was old-style, with deep wood grains and comfortable chairs and a feeling of comfort and nostalgia. However, only one table was open, and even it was short-handed with only seven players. The game they were playing was $2/$6 limit with a 1/2 kill. I'm sure activity picks up at night and on weekends, but where will players sit?

“We got an open seat,” the lady at the registration desk said. “There’s plenty of room if you want to play.”

I looked a little dejected and replied, “Doesn’t look like much is going on around here.” The lady ignored my comment and went back to the crossword puzzle she was working on.

I walked out a little sad. I drove 18 miles to get here and found one game open with a small group of local players, probably waiting for a stranger like me to come in so they could empty his wallet. There’s no doubt I’d be broke had I sat down in that game.

I drove back to Albuquerque having wasted some time, but now looking for a shopping mall. While getting gas I asked the clerk for directions to a mall and she told me to head toward the mountains on I-40 and take the Louisiana exit. In a few minutes I was standing in front of a mall that was all but dead.

Ironically, the dying mall with just a few living renters left is called “Winrock Center”. I saw a Dillard’s, a Bed Bath and Beyond with a few other small retailers hanging on—and that was it. I walked inside the mall and it was a ghost town. Most of the store fronts had been boarded up or covered up with black curtains. This would make a great movie set for a horror film. “Bloodsucking Zombies of Sandia Peak” or “The Invasion of the Winrock BodySnatchers”. The Winrock Center was actually built in 1961 and was New Mexico’s first fully enclosed shopping mall. So I guess her time is up.

The action was taking place across the street at ABQ Uptown. A new retail center with street front entrances, franchise restaurants, and walking trails, the ABQ is sleek, inviting, and just plain fun. Now this is more like it. I parked in front of the Border’s Bookstore and strolled through the ABQ thinking about Southlake, Texas, and it’s Southlake Town Center. These kinds of developments are springing up around the country. Some say the indoor mall of my youth is dying, being replaced by outdoor venues that provide fresh air and sunshine for shoppers who crave such things. The evidence seems to be unavoidable here. Shopping is becoming natural, environmentally safe, healthy, sexy, and for the most part, outdoors.

I'm enjoying my stay so far in this "land of enchantment". I might hang out here for a while. Henderson and Vegas will still be there when I'm ready.