09/30/2026
Congratulations to our sister city!!
Center City of Amarillo is one of eight finalists for the 2027 Great American Main Street Award. Nationwide, more than 200 cities applied. Over 2,000 Main Street Programs exist, but only 118 have ever earned this award.
The GAMSA is the nation’s top award recognizing communities that have worked to preserve and revitalize their downtowns. Center City was founded in 1996. Since 2007, it estimates that it has helped to facilitate more than $886 million in reinvestment, historic preservation, and development in Amarillo’s downtown area.
It wasn’t until last year, when Center City Executive Director Beth Duke calculated that amount and realized Amarillo has invested nearly $1 billion in its downtown, that she felt confident applying. Duke said without the vision of those who founded Center City 20 years ago—Richard Brown, Richard Ware, and the late Betty Howell—Amarillo’s downtown would not be so unique.
“Without their vision, we would not have the wonderful Pueblo Deco buildings, the Guy Carlander architecture, and the fabric that makes us special,” Duke said in a Tuesday press conference announcing the achievement. “You know, when you look at the Paramount sign, you know you’re in Amarillo, and those are the kind of things that make us stand out from other cities.”
Main Street America is a nonprofit organization that works with cities across the United States on economic development, historic preservation, urban planning, finance, and public affairs to support thriving local economies and cities that are rich in character and welcoming to unique businesses for residents and visitors. Duke said there are about 80 Main Street Cities in Texas, but only seven are nonprofit organizations like Center City. This recognition, Duke said, helps to put Amarillo on the map.
“As an urban nonprofit program that is sustainable and continuing to reinvest in our city, we are really an outlier, and I’m kind of proud to be an outlier. You know, because it shows that the community is behind us, and as a nonprofit, we can do a lot of things as long as we raise that money,” Duke said. “It just shows the community’s input, whether it’s volunteers or funds; it means a lot.”
The GAMSA winner will be announced during the Main Street America national conference in November. The conference will be held in Detroit.
Other finalists include Astoria Downtown Historic District Association in Astoria, OR; Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. in Excelsior Springs, MO; Connect Downtown Johnson City in Johnson City, TN; Village of Lake Orion DDA in Lake Orion, Oakland County, MI; Montpelier Alive in Montpelier, VT; Mainstreet Oceanside in Oceanside, CA; and Sapulpa Main Street in Sapulpa, OK.
Learn more about Center City and the history of downtown Amarillo on Center City’s website. Learn more about Main Street America on its website.
Read more here: https://amarillotribune.org/2026/09/29/it-could-be-the-last-festival-dia-de-muertos-in-amarillo-so-organizers-are-going-all-out/
