Sooner Drive-In

2415 N. Main Street,
Miami, OK 74354

400 cars

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Griffith Amusement Company, Video Independent Theaters Inc.

Previous Names: Tri-State Drive-In

Nearby Theaters

Sooner Drive-In

The Tri-State Drive-In was opened June 30, 1949 with Susan Hayward in “Tulsa”. It was operated by Griffith Theatres. Later operated by Video Independent Theaters Inc. out of Oklahoma City. On August 23, 1963 it was renamed Sooner Drive-In after the previous Sooner Drive-In in town. It operated into the 1980’s.

Contributed by Harley Dawg

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

jwmovies
jwmovies on December 24, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Approx. address for this drive-in was 2415 North Main Street. Now Safeway!

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 25, 2019 at 12:05 am

According to extensive notes at MiamiHistory.net, the Tri State had its Grand Opening on June 30, 1949, and had a capacity of 500 cars. “At some point between 1961 and 1965, the Tri-State was renamed to the Sooner. According to historian Fredas Cook, it was to take advantage of the much nicer Sooner sign formerly used south of town.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on May 31, 2019 at 10:37 pm

The May 5, 1960 issue of BoxOffice marked the passing of John H. Griffin, former mayor, police and fire commissioner of Miami. “He was in charge of Miami’s three downtown theatres and the drive-in north of town when he died.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on July 17, 2019 at 9:56 am

According to ads in the Miami News-Record, the Tri-State didn’t change its name to the Sooner until after Aug. 21, 1963. It was the Sooner by Aug. 23, 1963.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on July 17, 2020 at 6:00 am

On March 11, 1955, the Tri-State converted its tower to widescreen to accommodate CinemaScope films beginning that night with Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe in “River of No Return.”

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on April 17, 2024 at 3:15 pm

The Sooner Drive-In was still open in the 1980s, but was gone by the mid-1990s. Traces were left remaining until a relocated Walmart occupied the former drive-in across the street in 2001.

  • FUN FACT: Miami’s Walmart was relocated three times since its first one opened in May 1971. The first Walmart (located on 2001 North Main) closed in 1987 when it was relocated to 2414 North Main and was located across the street from the Sooner Drive-In until 2001. The ex-Walmart became a church across the street from the current Walmart that once occupied the drive-in.
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