WHAT'S NEW IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Coming Soon To ABQ

New Hotels & Renovations

Renovations to Begin at Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North

Renovations are slated to begin at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North. The 310-room hotel was recently acquired by Legacy Development & Management. Guest rooms, bathrooms and the conference center will all get upgrades. A new restaurant and bar will be added, along with a new pool and fitness center. The renovation is expected to cost $22 million and last two years.

Downtown Makes Room for Long-Awaited Upscale Boutique Hotel

The much anticipated ARRIVE Albuquerque hotel is set to be completed by the end of 2024. A historic rehabilitation of the 1965-built Downtowner Motor Inn (most recently The Hotel Blue) will transform the Route 66 landmark located at 8th and Central into a new boutique hotel, ARRIVE Albuquerque.

Work Continues on Element by Westin Hotel in Uptown

Construction on the 120-room, 86,335-square-foot hotel began in late 2021. It is expected to be ongoing for roughly two years. 

Culinary News

Indian Pueblo Kitchen Will Soon Include Teaching Kitchen

Estimated to open in late 2023/early 2024, the Indian Pueblo Kitchen at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center will include a teaching kitchen that will offer exciting opportunities for students to learn Indigenous cooking techniques and restaurant operations in an engaging, collaborative environment. Eventually, the Indian Pueblo Kitchen will provide entrepreneurs, food truck operators and Native American food artisans with access to a commercial greenhouse and commercial kitchen. The restaurant and teaching kitchen will also offer culinary experiences such as cooking classes, wine pairing dinners, Feast Day meals and farm-to-fork dining.

Gruet Winery to Open New Tasting Room

The renowned Gruet Winery recently announced a forthcoming additional tasting room, offering more opportunities for wine enthusiasts to taste and celebrate their family-made, world-class wines.

El Pollo Loco to Open in Albuquerque

El Pollo Loco will have nine new locations in New Mexico, the first of which is set to open in November 2024. The new restaurants will feature the company’s newest design, including self-ordering kiosks, mobile to-go and delivery pick-up areas, and dining rooms that open up to a patio.

New Nuevo Nuevo Bites Culinary Excursions

Coming in Spring 2024, a new immersive culinary experience featuring local restaurants and chefs will enhance Albuquerque’s foodie scene. Composed of 5 of New Mexico’s best-kept secrets including food, wine, coffee, spirits and dessert, join New Nuevo on a culinary adventure.

In-n-Out is Coming to Albuquerque

The popular burger chain In-n-Out is expanding to Albuquerque. A location is expected to be open by 2027.

Attractions & Facilities

New Australia Habitat at the ABQ BioPark Zoo

It’s a time of growth and transformation at the ABQ BioPark! Construction on state-of-the-art Australia exhibits is underway at the ABQ BioPark. The reimagining of the Australia area of the zoo continues and phase one is scheduled to open in 2024. The first area to open will be Australian Shores, which will bring little blue penguins and other seabirds to Albuquerque.

Heritage Farm at the ABQ BIoPark Botanic Garden to get a Refresh

Renovations are currently underway at the Heritage Farm in the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden. Updates include stained glass windows featuring Native wildlife, new animal pastures and barns, an outdoor classroom and an electric train that will take up to 100 people around the one-mile loop surrounding the Heritage Farm. This section of the Botanic Garden will get its own entrance and ticket booth as well. Renovations are expected to be completed by April 2024.

Comedy Club to Open at Winrock Town Center

The Hyena's Comedy Nightclub is bringing one of its comedy clubs to Albuquerque. The comedy club will be located next to the Tricore Winrock Labs and Presbyterian Medical Group clinic in an underground venue. Construction will begin this fall.

Development

Flix Brewhouse Set to Open New Location

Flix Brewhouse is gearing up to open up a new location on the city's Eastside. The former Regal UA High Ridge theater is being remodeled to transform into Flix Brewhouse. The new theater will feature seven screens and 700 seats. Flix is expected to open by the summer 2024.

Dream of Flight: Albuquerque International Sunport’s “Once in a Lifetime” Renovation

Visitors to the Land of Enchantment will soon be able to experience a real taste of Albuquerque as soon as they deplane, thanks to an ambitious modernization project now underway at the Sunport. The first phase of the renovation, the relocation of the TSA screening checkpoint north toward the escalators, will be completed in 2023, with the goal of making it “the most enviable TSA experience in the country,” says Manny Manriquez, Sunport Innovation and Commercial Development Manager. Future updates will include an open-plan food hall featuring eight local restaurants, a new “mini shopping mall” highlighting made-in-New Mexico products, fresh local art installations, as well as updated carpeting and seating throughout the Sunport. The folks behind the renovation hope fans of the Sunport’s current Burqueño vibe will appreciate the updates to come. “We are maintaining our incomparable sense of place, the look and feel of the Sunport as we know it, by enhancing it. We’re bringing in more traditional colors of New Mexico—drawing out the turquoise and dark red hues—and offering more local flavors in both dining and shopping,” according to Manriquez.

Updates on the New Albuquerque Rail Trail

A modern and artistic pathway that reflects the culture and history of the land of enchantment. The Rail Trail will transform Albuquerque’s downtown neighborhoods. The Trail is a 7- to 8-mile multi-use trail that will connect key destinations in the greater downtown area, while also encouraging economic development, healthy recreation, and cultural expression. This project balances the utility of a pedestrian parkway with bold, innovative storytelling that makes the Rail Trail a canvas for explaining how we are united in this place. 

Winrock Begins Construction on Park and Lake

Construction on the long-awaited centerpiece of the Winrock Town Center redevelopment is finally underway. Breaking ground on a massive outdoor open space in mid-May, developers and city officials now say the highly anticipated park and lake will be open this year. Owned by the Albuquerque-based Goodman Group since 2007, the Winrock site has been under a redevelopment plan for more than a decade. Renderings show the park is expected to include grassy outdoor spaces with trees, shaded seating areas, walking paths, a round gazebo-like structure, a nearby dog park and multiple bridges over a massive lake which will be filled with water treated on-site.

Netflix Official Expects Albuquerque Studios Expansion to Be Ready By 2024

Come 2024, Netflix officials expect thousands of people will be present at its North America Hub at Mesa del Sol. The California-based streaming giant said construction is underway on the project and dirt is moving for its massive expansion at Albuquerque Studios, which has a price tag of $1 billion. That is the same price point Netflix acquired Albuquerque Studios for in 2018.

Heritage Real Estate Announces New Project at Park Square in Uptown

Planning and development of a major renovation at Park Square is underway. As part of the project, Heritage Real Estate will be bringing in high-quality, local vendors including Gruet Winery, a high-end men’s clothier known as Eternity Men, a high-end women’s clothier known as Eternity Women, a wellness studio and two mini-food hubs featuring fresh, curated food and beverage options for Park Square tenants and the broader community. Construction begins in June. The grand opening could happen as early as July 2024.

Legacy Development & Management Plans for Sunport Hotel

While it remains in the planning stages with the City of Albuquerque, Legacy has plans for a five-story hotel that will encompass 112 rooms across 73,595 square feet near the Albuquerque International Sunport. The project remains conceptual at this point, Kassam said. The hotel would be located off Sunport and University boulevards at 1500 Sunport Ave. SE, down the street from Interstate 25.

Jet Bridges to get Upgrades at Albuquerque International Sunport

Thanks to a federal grant, 21 outdated jet bridges at the Albuquerque International Sunport will be getting upgraded. The improvements include new carpet, interior panels, ceiling, lighting and accessibility. The hallways connecting the Sunport to the jet bridge will also get some improvements. Plans are being finalized now, and renovations should be completed by next year.

Anniversaries

Route 66 Turns 100 in 2026

Route 66 will turn a century old in 2026. The highway was commissioned in 1926 and connects Chicago with Los Angeles. The first route ran north to south through Albuquerque as part of a curve that connected Santa Rosa, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Los Lunas and several Native American reservations. By 1937, the road had straightened out and ran in a more east-west direction along the route we’re more familiar with today. Today, the route runs through the heart of Albuquerque along Central Avenue, leading travelers through some of the city’s most beloved neighborhoods and still serves as a jumping off point for transportation. 

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Turns 50 in 2026

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center will be celebrating its 50th birthday in 2026. The IPCC works to preserve Pueblo culture, and provides a place to discover and learn more about Pueblo culture. It is owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico.

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