Transportation, Tourism Officials Celebrate Opening of Manuelito Rest Area and Visitor Center

New Mexico Transportation Department and Tourism department officials May 14, 2008 celebrated the reopening of the Manuelito Rest Area and Visitor Center near Gallup along Interstate 25.

The facility underwent a state-of-the-art remodeling, nearly doubling its current capacity to accommodate approximately one million visitors annually. Originally built in 1971 and located at the New Mexico/Arizona border, the rest stop now includes a newly-constructed 9,500 square foot visitor center, a media area complete with a theater and wireless Internet, and brand new information kiosks.

“The New Mexico Visitor Information Centers in Manuelito and Glenrio are our busiest centers,” State Tourism Secretary Michael Cerletti said. “Thanks to the efforts of the New Mexico Department of Transportation, these incredible new centers and their exhibits will take our visitors on a journey through the state, resulting in longer overnight stays and increased traveler spending.  We appreciate the work of Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught and her staff in helping the Tourism Department realize its dream of creating state-of-the art visitor information centers of which we can all be proud.”

“I am so proud of the way the commissioners handled this project and I want to thank them for their foresight in planning for a rest area and visitor center of this magnitude,” said Transportation Commission Chairman Johnny Cope. “We'll be able to hold our heads high that this facility is one of the finest in the country.”

“The redesign of this facility is sure to impress the traveling public,” said Transportation Secretary Rhonda Faught. “The partnership between the NMDOT, New Mexico Tourism Department and New Mexico Pueblos, Tribes and Nations allows for new visitors to get a real taste of New Mexican culture as they enter the state.”

This is one of two rest areas and visitor centers the Department has redesigned, the other being the Glenrio Visitor Information Center at the New Mexico/Texas border which will open soon.

David Montoya Construction Inc. and Longhorn Construction were awarded the project, which began in March 2007. The $7.4 million endeavor includes building the new visitor center, installation of phone lines and plumbing, reconstruction of new parking lots, installation of new drainage systems and new concrete side walks.