Scottsdale 6 Drive-In
8101 E. Mckellips Road,
Scottsdale,
AZ
85257
8101 E. Mckellips Road,
Scottsdale,
AZ
85257
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Today still empty. The warehouse to the east demolished still vacant. Shame really…ðŸ˜
A soccer complex is supposed to be built on the property.
Empty as of April 2022 as the Googlemobile passed it by
Is tnere anything on tnis site now?
Too bad a perfectly good, busy theater got closed down and destroyed.
Opened with on screen 1 with “Carrie” and “Embryo”, and screen 2 with “Young Frankstein” and “Bananas”, and screen 3 with “Journey to the beyond” and “They came from within”, and screen 4 with “The Cassandra crossing” and “Deliverance”, and screen 5 with “Freaky friday” and “Peter Pan”, and screen 6 with “The sentinel” and “The premonition”.
as of 2018 it’s still vacant
February 9th, 1977 grand opening ad in photo section.
I drove past the Scottsdale 6 on Saturday, 05-17. There is some heavy construction equipment on the lot. The concession stand/projection booth and all screens have been torn down. It looks like even some of the brick wall surrounding the grounds have been taken down.
I ride buy the drive-in every day. I sure miss the place. I have no idea what they are going to do with the land. A perfectly good and successful drive- in going to waste. Sad.
I loved this place. So many films I watched at this Drive-In. Some of my earliest memories are ones attending movies here. All the way to the time I went in my early twenties to view Kill Bill 1, as well as many other films. Fondest earliest memory is watching Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome as a child, with my neighbors and their son. On the top of their car. What was so cool about this place was that it is on a reservation, located at the edge of the city, surrounded mostly by desert. Made the setting pretty magical in my younger years.
Sad to see this drive-in just sitting there unused because of a leasing dispute . The entire Phoenix metro area only has ONE drive-in-the Glendale nine. There are only 2 left in all of AZ- the Glendale Nine and the Apache in Globe. I don’t think anyone is opening any new drive-ins in the state. Sad.
The effort to save this drive-in appears to have failed: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/article_3f15c022-ead8-11e0-a62c-001cc4c002e0.html
A concerted grassroots effort is underway to keep this drive-in open. Here is the official statement from the “Save The Scottsdale Six Drive-In” Facebook group:
“34 year old valley tradition appears to have come to a close…
While Harkins is celebrating its 78th anniversary with free movies, a beloved valley drive-in theater has had to close its doors after 34 years of operation.
The Scottsdale 6 drive-in first opened its gates at McKellips and Hayden roads Feb. 7, 1977. However, the current land lease with the Salt River Pima Maricopa community has expired. While negotiations and deliberations were still taking place, it appears that the possibility that Scottsdale 6 having their lease renewed is no longer an option.
The following statements and attached photo were taken from Scottsdale 6 Facebook page –
September 2, 2011 – “The following statement regarding the closure of the Scottsdale 6 Drive has been authorized by West Wind Drive Ins:
Unfortunately, we do not know when we will reopen. Our lease has expired but we are still in negotiations with the Salt River Pima Maricopa community to extend our lease. We will update our Facebook and Website when we know more. Thanks again for your email and please visit the Glendale 9 Drive In for your movie going experience!"
September 8, 2011 – “From the staff and management of the Scottsdale 6 Drive:
Thank you all for your passionate support. We are saddened by all that has happened in the last few days; however, no matter how deep our sadness, we ask you to please refrain from making this into a war of ugly words. Please be civil to each other, and to the members of the SRPMIC community, many of whom continue to support the drive-in. We miss you all, and hope one day we will get the chance to entertain you again."
A grassroots campaign was started on Facebook, “Save The Scottsdale 6 Drive-In”, to rally support. After 4 days of going live, the group has well over 200+ members. The community of drive-in moviegoers are saddened by the apparent closure.
Any light and public visibility that can be shed on this matter would be greatly appreciated!"
Link to Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/247438798603432/
The 411 is West Wind is still negotiating a renewed lease with the Native American Reservation that owns the land that the D/I sits on.
I live near this drive-in. I’m glad that it is still going strong. I will be there this summer to watch the latest flicks a few times.
Vincent Raney is the architect of this drive-in that opened 2/7/1977.
I’ve seen plans that had it originally designed as the “Desert Drive-In” but was actually built as the Scottsdale Drive-In. Syufy later used the name Desert Drive-In for one of the drive-ins in Las Vegas.
West Wind Drive-Ins now operates this location.
Great to read about this Scottsdale drive-in being open!