Second Feature?

Smoke was not the only thing that passed through the city of Tulsa on Sept. 3 as the 59-year-old Admiral Twin Drive-In burned to the ground. Almost as quickly as the flames swallowed the city’s historic drive-in, Tulsans’ stories of the landmark filled the air. Now, owners Blake Smith and Steve Peace are hoping to begin creating those memories again through Tulsans’ contributions.

“It was the outpouring of support from people during the fi rst moments of the fi re that initially gave us any thought about rebuilding,” Smith said in a press release after the fi re. “As the massive support continues from so many directions, we have a tremendous sense of duty to reestablish this entity that means so much to so many people.”

The co-owner said that since the structure burned all the way to the ground, the Tulsa Fire Department told him it would be diffi cult to determine what caused the incident. And with reconstruction of the Admiral Twin Drive-In’s wooden screens that were uninsured costing at least $200,000, Smith said rebuilding is a daunting task.

“We don’t own the thing scot-free,” he said. “We already owe a lot of money on it right now.”

To help make this task less overwhelming, the site where ash now catches the eyes of people in the area rather than the towering movie screens will also be the spot for the drive-in’s offi cial benefi t concert on October 16. Although Jon Terry of SRO Productions of Tulsa, the company aiding the Admiral Twin Drive-In’s owners with its fundraising campaign, said details are still being put together for the event, more than ten local bands including the band Admiral Twin have stepped up to provide music throughout the day.

The day’s events to benefi t the rebuilding of the drive-in will also include a car show, a kids’ zone and festival style concessions at the benefi t show, Terry said. Tulsa-known celebrities are expected to also make appearances.

“It’s a cause everyone seems to want to help with,” Terry said.

With so many willing to step up and lend their talents to help be a part of rebuilding a piece of Tulsa’s past, SRO Productions is spending part of its time sifting through the numerous fundraising campaigns to ensure transparency and accountability of each group.

And with the Save the Admiral Twin Drive-In Facebook page that was created shortly after the fi re now reaching more than 31,000 members with new fundraising campaigns discussed daily, SRO Productions has much to investigate.

“We want to give everyone a chance,” Terry said. “There is everything from dog washes to fl ea markets. Tulsans are demanding to help and are doing it their way.”

As of September 13, Smith said almost $10,000 had been donated to the Save the Admiral Twin Drive-In Fund. This fi gure does not include money from about 1,500 “Save the Admiral Twin” T-shirts sales.

Others have stepped up to help with upcoming concerts to benefi t the drive-in. One such event is being referred to as the “Unoffi cial, Yet Sanctioned Benefi t” concert at The Rose Bowl Event Center on October 10. Local bands such as Chuk Cooley and the Demon Hammers, Eric and the Adams and ABoT Music Award Winner Brandon Clark and his band and will fi ll the center with music and hope to fi ll the Save the Admiral Twin Drive-In fund with cash. Creators of the event are recommending attendees make a $10 donation for adults and $5 donations for children who attend the event. Although much of Terry’s time has gone to coordinating the various fundraising campaigns started throughout the city, he is also balancing time for several offers from materials, construction and electrical companies asking to be a part of the reconstruction process.

The owners met for the fi rst time with architects the week following the fi re to look at possible ways to rebuild the screens. As more funding comes in to aid in rebuilding the bones of the outdoor drive-in, the owners will continue to look at possible ways to recreate the Admiral Twin Drive-In.

Although the cost of reconstruction has not been determined and a construction plan has not been chosen yet, Terry said the Admiral Twin Drive-In could be accompanied with upgrades to its concessions and bathrooms. (Indeed!)

“But the main thing is (the owners) don’t ever want to lose the original feel of the Admiral Twin,” he said.