According to the website the Vineland will close for the seasons Sunday October 2nd. I thought the Vineland ran year around anyone know if the swap meet will continue? I remember back in the old days Pacific use to close drive ins for the season and just not reopen them. @marcdw, you have any knowledge on the future?
@marcdw Thanks it’s great to hear from you, as you can see from the date on my post I’m not always quick either. I’m actually much more knowledgeable with United Theatres, the company the Foreman’s once ran in Washington. And for United theatre, a company called Pacific Services signed the checks as you put it. That’s my only connection. Yes I bet getting movies will be more of a challenge both because of what’s owed, but also for right now at least there’s only one theater in your network. I don’t know if the film companies still do this but at least in the old days, they always seemed to favor companies with more screens.
I’ve thought about this off and on though out the past few years. I’m not sure that the closure date listed for this theatre is correct. I think it was closed in 78 or 79. I think this because I former maintenance manager for United Theatres told me that they hauled speaker posts from this drive in to the Valley when it went from 3 screens to 6, and most of that was done over the winter of 79 / 80 with the Valley running 6 screens in the spring of 80. He also stated that the Duwamish was the first drive in that United closed.
Thanks for that. I just looked it up and I see they are listing jobs at the other swap meet locations under Nationwide as well so it looks like they did not go to RPG as I had previously thought. Also I see Nationwide is listed on Manta as having been formed in 1966, which makes me wonder what it’s done or what else has been under it’s banner for the past 55 years.
As an additional note, and some of you might all ready know this. At one time the Forman family operated three theater companies. Pacific Theatres in California, United Theatres in Washington and Consolidated theatres in Hawaii. Known collectively as C.U.P. United Theatres was very slowly dismantled, starting in the 80’s with redevelopment of their drive in sites, and closure of the few hardtops they had in Washington. The last United theatre was the Valley Drive in, in Auburn, which closed in 2012. Consolidated theatre was sold off, but I’m not really sure when, if I had to guess early 2000’s. I would say that while Pacific Theatres ended in bankruptcy it to was largely dismantled as well. In 1981 they held 125 outdoor movie screens. They were down to just 24 indoor theatres and one drive in by 2002, and before bankruptcy were down to just 6 indoors and the Vineland. My point to all this, is that the Forman family was once a huge player in drive ins and movie theatres, and now the Vineland is the last one. That is unless of course they still have control of or gain control over any of their closed locations. Who knows.
Since my last post I learned that the swap meet division and as CTCrouch noted, the Vineland appears to have been spud off to Robertson Properties, which is also a Foreman family owned company. Robertson Properties as the name soft of implies is a property and land development company. So who knows what the future will hold for the Vineland, but it looks like the family retains it. The RPO division has in the past operated drive ins but it’s never been long term, but who knows it might be now that Pacific is gone.
@dansdriveintheater. Pacific theatres has folded. All locations have closed as their parent company filed chapter 7. Vineland Drive in is still operating. Who owns it I do not know, but all of the Pacific Theatre, branding on the drive ins website, and when you call them is gone, so I think, but do not know that it has been sold or ownership transferred. Hopefully more info will be coming.
As I got off the freeway off ramp, I immediately recognized where I was despite all the changes, I turned down the road opposite the direction I needed to go, it had been 8 year since I had visited the site. Besides Swedish, there are now condos where the screen once was. I almost kept driving but something compelled me to look around for any signs of the drive in. To my surprise in the back of the Swedish parking lot a small sliver of the ramps and speaker poles are still standing. I snapped a few photos and added them to the gallery.
@sunflower No the theatre had no relation to the Duwamish tribe. This Theatre was owned by United Theatres which was a sister company to Pacific Theatres of California owned by the Foreman Family. United Theatres typically named their drive ins after the local area. Kenmore drive in was in Kenmore, Aurora was in aurora ect. The Duwamish was along the Duwamish river so I suspect that it was named after the river. Hopefully that helps.
As previously mentioned the Guild is owned by TMT development, which was founded by Tom Moyer, as in Tom Moyer Luxury Theatres TMT. The TNT website still lists the theatre as vacant and available for development.
I would also like to note that AMC is leasing the building from SRO. SRO would like to redevelop the property this is a quote from the SRO website “The building is currently an eight screen theater. Zoning allows SRO to construct a six story 135,000 sq. ft. office building. A full building user has the opportunity to participate in the design process.” So I would be willing to bet that is why they will only do 2 year lease. see this link http://www.sterlingrealty.com/factoria-cinema/
No Speaker posts are all gone. Snack bar and ticket booth are gone too. Foundation for ticket booth is still there though. Screen and outer fencing is all that is left.
Despite the website being down this drive in is still operation. I don’t know how they plan to handle the digital conversion but they are planning to continue operating as far as I can tell.
I know what some of you guys have all said, but I have just recieved word from one of the employees of the Valley “6” drive in that they have been told that they are now closed for good… That’s not to say that they won’t change there mind between now and spring, but the word is as of now closed for good. In the mean time we can try to save it by going to facebook, and looking up save our auburn valley drive in.
I think we’re in trouble. As of today, the information phone line for the Valley 6 simply says. “unfortunately we are now closed”. It doesn’t sound good, anybody know anything about this are they finally gone?
@ Andrea, I know SRO got an offer they couldn’t refuse. I know SRO wanted out for many years, but couldn’t because it was special to John Danz, the company founder. That’s why it lasted so many years more than their other theatres. It’s just that if it hadn’t been suddenly developed it might still be around. I’m sure if it wasn’t Swedish it would have been someone else. Or would it have been… If SRO had sold the property like a normal sale, where people outside the company know it is being sold, who knows what might have happened. Maybe someone else would be running the theatre, maybe not, maybe I’m dreaming. What really gets me going is SRO had said in the years just prior to the closure that the theatre was making more money every year, and doing very well. Also that it was likely to stay around. It’s just sad to some of us, in reality it is SROs fault not Swedishes.
@ Andrea, but did they have to build it there??? The empty lot directly behind the Puget Park, nearly as big wouldn’t have worked??? We can all appreciate that the area needed an emergency room, don’t get me wrong. What we don’t get is why did it have to involve tearing down a bit of history. That was not only the largest outdoor screen in Washington, but the last drive in on I-5, the last operating SRO theatre anywhere. Not to mention all the memories there. It’s sad and it still hurts some of us that it was taken away.
It is my understanding that the Valley will not be going digital, they will simply close when 35mm is gone. The Rodeo in Port Orchard, has said they WILL be converting this winter. The skyline and Blue Fox are attempting to raise funds to be able to afford them.
I was just able to visit this Drive-In yesterday. The screen, the lot and the outer fence is all still there. The snack bar / projection building looks to have collapsed. Photos from my 7-21-2012 visit can be seen here. One here http://westernwadriveintheatres.weebly.com/ more here http://westernwadriveintheatres.weebly.com/park-in.html
This website is new and still in development so if you navigate around it and find some blanks please excuse me.
The duwamish drive in was one of the first of the United Theatre drive in chains. It was also the first drive in that United closed. It was closed because it was on leased land, and the land owners wanted to sell it for more than the theater chain thought it was worth. However some of the speaker poles survive today, as they were moved to the Valley drive in and converted to antenna clips for the Cine-fi system, when the Valley 3 became the Valley 6. I the Duwamish drive in closed in 1978 or 79.
@kennerado, From what I can tell the concession building is still there, no idea if it is used and if it is for what.
According to the website the Vineland will close for the seasons Sunday October 2nd. I thought the Vineland ran year around anyone know if the swap meet will continue? I remember back in the old days Pacific use to close drive ins for the season and just not reopen them. @marcdw, you have any knowledge on the future?
@marcdw Thanks it’s great to hear from you, as you can see from the date on my post I’m not always quick either. I’m actually much more knowledgeable with United Theatres, the company the Foreman’s once ran in Washington. And for United theatre, a company called Pacific Services signed the checks as you put it. That’s my only connection. Yes I bet getting movies will be more of a challenge both because of what’s owed, but also for right now at least there’s only one theater in your network. I don’t know if the film companies still do this but at least in the old days, they always seemed to favor companies with more screens.
When the Kam was still showing movies does anyone know what they were using for sound? As in Speakers, Cine-fi, AM or FM transmission? Thanks
I’ve thought about this off and on though out the past few years. I’m not sure that the closure date listed for this theatre is correct. I think it was closed in 78 or 79. I think this because I former maintenance manager for United Theatres told me that they hauled speaker posts from this drive in to the Valley when it went from 3 screens to 6, and most of that was done over the winter of 79 / 80 with the Valley running 6 screens in the spring of 80. He also stated that the Duwamish was the first drive in that United closed.
Thanks for that. I just looked it up and I see they are listing jobs at the other swap meet locations under Nationwide as well so it looks like they did not go to RPG as I had previously thought. Also I see Nationwide is listed on Manta as having been formed in 1966, which makes me wonder what it’s done or what else has been under it’s banner for the past 55 years.
As an addendum to my previous comment: Consolidated Theatres was sold to Reading international in 2007.
As an additional note, and some of you might all ready know this. At one time the Forman family operated three theater companies. Pacific Theatres in California, United Theatres in Washington and Consolidated theatres in Hawaii. Known collectively as C.U.P. United Theatres was very slowly dismantled, starting in the 80’s with redevelopment of their drive in sites, and closure of the few hardtops they had in Washington. The last United theatre was the Valley Drive in, in Auburn, which closed in 2012. Consolidated theatre was sold off, but I’m not really sure when, if I had to guess early 2000’s. I would say that while Pacific Theatres ended in bankruptcy it to was largely dismantled as well. In 1981 they held 125 outdoor movie screens. They were down to just 24 indoor theatres and one drive in by 2002, and before bankruptcy were down to just 6 indoors and the Vineland. My point to all this, is that the Forman family was once a huge player in drive ins and movie theatres, and now the Vineland is the last one. That is unless of course they still have control of or gain control over any of their closed locations. Who knows.
Since my last post I learned that the swap meet division and as CTCrouch noted, the Vineland appears to have been spud off to Robertson Properties, which is also a Foreman family owned company. Robertson Properties as the name soft of implies is a property and land development company. So who knows what the future will hold for the Vineland, but it looks like the family retains it. The RPO division has in the past operated drive ins but it’s never been long term, but who knows it might be now that Pacific is gone.
@dansdriveintheater. Pacific theatres has folded. All locations have closed as their parent company filed chapter 7. Vineland Drive in is still operating. Who owns it I do not know, but all of the Pacific Theatre, branding on the drive ins website, and when you call them is gone, so I think, but do not know that it has been sold or ownership transferred. Hopefully more info will be coming.
I have read they plan to demolish it for affordable housing….
As I got off the freeway off ramp, I immediately recognized where I was despite all the changes, I turned down the road opposite the direction I needed to go, it had been 8 year since I had visited the site. Besides Swedish, there are now condos where the screen once was. I almost kept driving but something compelled me to look around for any signs of the drive in. To my surprise in the back of the Swedish parking lot a small sliver of the ramps and speaker poles are still standing. I snapped a few photos and added them to the gallery.
@sunflower No the theatre had no relation to the Duwamish tribe. This Theatre was owned by United Theatres which was a sister company to Pacific Theatres of California owned by the Foreman Family. United Theatres typically named their drive ins after the local area. Kenmore drive in was in Kenmore, Aurora was in aurora ect. The Duwamish was along the Duwamish river so I suspect that it was named after the river. Hopefully that helps.
As previously mentioned the Guild is owned by TMT development, which was founded by Tom Moyer, as in Tom Moyer Luxury Theatres TMT. The TNT website still lists the theatre as vacant and available for development.
I would also like to note that AMC is leasing the building from SRO. SRO would like to redevelop the property this is a quote from the SRO website “The building is currently an eight screen theater. Zoning allows SRO to construct a six story 135,000 sq. ft. office building. A full building user has the opportunity to participate in the design process.” So I would be willing to bet that is why they will only do 2 year lease. see this link http://www.sterlingrealty.com/factoria-cinema/
No Speaker posts are all gone. Snack bar and ticket booth are gone too. Foundation for ticket booth is still there though. Screen and outer fencing is all that is left.
Despite the website being down this drive in is still operation. I don’t know how they plan to handle the digital conversion but they are planning to continue operating as far as I can tell.
I know what some of you guys have all said, but I have just recieved word from one of the employees of the Valley “6” drive in that they have been told that they are now closed for good… That’s not to say that they won’t change there mind between now and spring, but the word is as of now closed for good. In the mean time we can try to save it by going to facebook, and looking up save our auburn valley drive in.
I think we’re in trouble. As of today, the information phone line for the Valley 6 simply says. “unfortunately we are now closed”. It doesn’t sound good, anybody know anything about this are they finally gone?
@ Andrea, I know SRO got an offer they couldn’t refuse. I know SRO wanted out for many years, but couldn’t because it was special to John Danz, the company founder. That’s why it lasted so many years more than their other theatres. It’s just that if it hadn’t been suddenly developed it might still be around. I’m sure if it wasn’t Swedish it would have been someone else. Or would it have been… If SRO had sold the property like a normal sale, where people outside the company know it is being sold, who knows what might have happened. Maybe someone else would be running the theatre, maybe not, maybe I’m dreaming. What really gets me going is SRO had said in the years just prior to the closure that the theatre was making more money every year, and doing very well. Also that it was likely to stay around. It’s just sad to some of us, in reality it is SROs fault not Swedishes.
Theatre opened in 1967 and was built by Mullendore Theaters. SRO took the theatre over in 1977 and closed it in 1986
@ Andrea, but did they have to build it there??? The empty lot directly behind the Puget Park, nearly as big wouldn’t have worked??? We can all appreciate that the area needed an emergency room, don’t get me wrong. What we don’t get is why did it have to involve tearing down a bit of history. That was not only the largest outdoor screen in Washington, but the last drive in on I-5, the last operating SRO theatre anywhere. Not to mention all the memories there. It’s sad and it still hurts some of us that it was taken away.
It is my understanding that the Valley will not be going digital, they will simply close when 35mm is gone. The Rodeo in Port Orchard, has said they WILL be converting this winter. The skyline and Blue Fox are attempting to raise funds to be able to afford them.
I was just able to visit this Drive-In yesterday. The screen, the lot and the outer fence is all still there. The snack bar / projection building looks to have collapsed. Photos from my 7-21-2012 visit can be seen here. One here http://westernwadriveintheatres.weebly.com/ more here http://westernwadriveintheatres.weebly.com/park-in.html This website is new and still in development so if you navigate around it and find some blanks please excuse me.
The duwamish drive in was one of the first of the United Theatre drive in chains. It was also the first drive in that United closed. It was closed because it was on leased land, and the land owners wanted to sell it for more than the theater chain thought it was worth. However some of the speaker poles survive today, as they were moved to the Valley drive in and converted to antenna clips for the Cine-fi system, when the Valley 3 became the Valley 6. I the Duwamish drive in closed in 1978 or 79.