Admiral Twin is on Fire

[bugo]

I guess right now Oklahoma has no drive-in movie place in the entire state, the Admiral was the states only one.

Did the drive in at Poteau close?

[TheTed]

According to Drive-ins.com, usually a good reference, open drive-ins in Oklahoma are in:
Poteau
Oklahoma City
Guthrie
Chickasha
Guymon

Also, there's a drive-in in Fayetteville, Arkansas
112 Drive-In

And Carthage, Missouri (near Joplin)
66 Drive-In

This movement to save the Admiral Twin reminds me of the uproar over Bell's. Was it really that great, or was it just the fact that people don't want to see a part of their childhood gone? Drive-ins in urban areas generally suck anyway. Too much light pollution. You need total darkness to see the drive-in screen.

I wish people were this upset that we don't have a good theatre with waiters, regular food and alcohol.

[Hoss]

According to Drive-ins.com, usually a good reference, open drive-ins in Oklahoma are in:
Poteau
Oklahoma City
Guthrie
Chickasha
Guymon

Also, there's a drive-in in Fayetteville, Arkansas
112 Drive-In

And Carthage, Missouri (near Joplin)
66 Drive-In

This movement to save the Admiral Twin reminds me of the uproar over Bell's. Was it really that great, or was it just the fact that people don't want to see a part of their childhood gone? Drive-ins in urban areas generally suck anyway. Too much light pollution. You need total darkness to see the drive-in screen.

I wish people were this upset that we don't have a good theatre with waiters, regular food and alcohol.

Obviously didn't go or weren't around while they were filming 'The Outsiders'.  I was.

And the uproar over Bells had more to do with dirty politics and under-the-table deals.  This was an act of nature or arson.

[custosnox]

Manager is now reporting they might be able to rebuild it by May....

"might"

Spoke to them yesterday, and they said that Home Depot has agreed to donate materials, and a local architect has volunteered his time to redesign it.  They seemed pretty hopeful about having it back up by next season.

[waterboy]

I have to agree with the Ted. It was Bell's deja vu for me. All the classic window speaker phones had been vandalized or stolen a long time ago. The radio feed was poor. The screen was hard to see and in poor condition. The humps were eroded and gravel had not been added in years. Looked like the owner was coasting. A good memory but a poor experience lately.

It really surprises me that there is such a move to rebuild it with donations. I guess I am too far removed from Tulsa mainstream. There are more worthy projects that go begging and this owner has another theatre in Jenks doesn't he? Why should his business that he left uninsured and deteriorating be rewarded??

Even though I am doubtful that it could not be insured (more likely it could not be insured at a rate that allowed the business to be profitable) a prudent businessman would have noted that if a 9 story, 60 year old structure could not be insured in its present state that he should make it insurable or find better uses for the property.

There is a difference between valuable historic locations with nostalgic appeal vs niche businesses using old properties that owners have let become dangerously obsolete. Just think what might have happened had this fast spreading fire erupted DURING a show with kids playing on the field below? The exits are slow enough without panic and the fire could have caused fatalities.

[RecycleMichael]

I thought it was different than Bell's on the issue of safety. Bell's had to call for security at least two or three times each summer. They had large roving gangs of kids some nights that made it so that we stopped taking our kids there. I also didn't think it was safe to ride many rides after they admitted to making homemade parts for the rides.

We went to the Admiral Twin with a bunch of families each summer. Two weeks ago we had eight families together. The adults all strtched out on the second row in the middle and drank adult beverages and about twenty kids sat together in the grassy area up front. They were about twenty yards in front of us so we could watch them but not have to listen to them.

We adults had great coversations and kinda watched the movie. It was a great night out and very affordable for all. That was the experience that you can't have at a regular theater.

Yes, the Admiral Twin was in medium disrepair. We usually didn't buy anything from the concession stand and had enough speakers on our car radios to hear just fine.

[waterboy]

I'm glad it didn't catch fire while your kids were playing in the field below the screen. It disappeared in ten minutes. You would have had less than that to round them up and exit in a single lane driveway onto a two lane road with all the other cars. The heat alone during that ten minutes would have caused injuries not to mention the likely panic.

I always liked the place, though the 51 Drive In was better. But imo it is wrong headed to reward the guy for having put people in jeopardy for years and putting little back into it. It should be investigated. For all we know burning it down was cheaper than demolishing it so that it could become more valuable property for a mobile home park like the one nearby.

[Hoss]

I'm glad it didn't catch fire while your kids were playing in the field below the screen. It disappeared in ten minutes. You would have had less than that to round them up and exit in a single lane driveway onto a two lane road with all the other cars. The heat alone during that ten minutes would have caused injuries not to mention the likely panic.

I always liked the place, though the 51 Drive In was better. But imo it is wrong headed to reward the guy for having put people in jeopardy for years and putting little back into it. It should be investigated. For all we know burning it down was cheaper than demolishing it so that it could become more valuable property for a mobile home park like the one nearby.

As far as I know, there isn't one nearby, unless you consider the one at Admiral and Mingo.

And it gets more visibility for it's status as a part of film, more than anything.  But I did have my first anniversary at the drive in, complete with a case of beer and an ice cream cake and watching one of the Jack Ryan movies (think it was Clear and Present Danger, but not sure).

But I guess there are more people who are not of the mindset of you WB, than are.  I for one, am happy of that.

[waterboy]

Nostalgia aside, don't you think it was irresponsible at the very least to operate a gathering place that posed serious threat of injury to its users? Remember, even insurance companies balked at covering it. I can imagine why: lightning, wind and termites come to mind. It may have had a small dwelling space inside it iirc, but it couldn't have had very complicated wiring and the age of construction is the same as Lortondale/Ranch Acres. An investigation might reveal when the last inspection of the wiring and condition of the structure took place.

I was required to carry multi-million dollar policies on boats, cars, employees and have them pass inspection by marine surveyors just to carry a half dozen people at a time over a 3ft deep river. And I understood why that was a good idea. This guy continued to operate a fire hazard and invited hundreds of families at a time to pay for the privilege of exposure to it even though he alleges it was uninsurable. Go figure.

There is a mobile home park just west of Yale where 244 crosses Admiral behind a salvage yard. The lay of the land looks similar. I just suggested that use as one of several current and potentially more profitable uses for land adjacent to a busy expressway. This movement makes Tulsa look silly to me. Similar to the Meadow Gold sign (sorry Rwarn). Save the Tulsa Club building, save the 11th street bridge, save the Brady, but don't waste your time and effort on a warm memory that some irresponsible businessman let burn to the ground.

[Red Arrow]

I can understand not having (or being able to get) insurance on the structure of the screens.  Everyone appears to be assuming there was also no liability insurance.  Does anyone know this to be a fact or not?  I am thinking of the comparison of only having liability insurance but not collision insurance on an old car.

[OpenYourEyesTulsa]

TMZ says it could have been the devil:

http://www.tmz.com/2010/09/04/last-exorcism-drive-in-theater-oklahama-fire/

[waterboy]

good point Red. Almost all my insurance was liability. Even so liability pays for damages after the fact. Much better to improve the product so as not to have to ever use your liability insurance. Kind of like fixing the brakes on your car rather than waiting till they fail and letting your liability insurance take care of the results. As long as everyone is gung ho to provide a freebie for this guy without addressing some issues no one will probably know.

I won't dwell on it any longer. It just surprised me that no one other than myself, Rico and the Ted saw it differently. Maybe I'm just too cynical (or know too many sketchy businessmen). At some point the city has to start looking forward again.

[Red Arrow]

I can't speak personally to the safety of the patrons of the Admiral Twin since I haven't been there.  I agree with the concept of having an operation that will most likely NOT need to use the liability insurance.  I would hope that any new structure would have to meet modern safety standards.

[sauerkraut]

The area now seems naked without that big screen. It does look promising that they will re-build, I kicked in $11.00 and bought a "Save The Admiral Twin" Tee Shirt Saturday. They had collected alot  in donations so far plus 5 bands plan to put on a concert with all the money collected going the Drive-In. I made the suggestion when I gave my donation that they should re-build it using a steel frame instead of wood so it will last another 100 years, plus since there are no fire plugs  in the area (or on the lot) making it out of steel is even more important. The fire trucks had to use a fire plug in front of the Mitchel School, it was the closest one. I hope it's rebuilt as it was, I liked those 4 "stacks" or "chimney" things it had on top, it had a real classic 50's look. I could not believe it when I seen the flames Friday it was really raging. You could feel the heat from 73rd ave. If they make it out of steel maybe the owner will be able to get insurance for it too. Insureance companies would not insure a 9 story wood structure.

[Hoss]

The area now seems naked without that big screen. It does look promising that they will re-build, I kicked in $11.00 and bought a "Save The Admiral Twin" Tee Shirt Saturday. They had collected alot  in donations so far plus 5 bands plan to put on a concert with all the money collected going the Drive-In. I made the suggestion when I gave my donation that they should re-build it using a steel frame instead of wood so it will last another 100 years, plus since there are no fire plugs  in the area (or on the lot) making it out of steel is even more important. The fire trucks had to use a fire plug in front of the Mitchel School, it was the closest one. I hope it's rebuilt as it was, I liked those 4 "stacks" or "chimney" things it had on top, it had a real classic 50's look. I could not believe it when I seen the flames Friday it was really raging. You could feel the heat from 73rd ave. If they make it out of steel maybe the owner will be able to get insurance for it too. Insureance companies would not insure a 9 story wood structure.

Wow.