Scottsdale, AZ - The Scottsdale Six in Scottsdale, Arizona sports three less screens
than the Glendale 9 but has the distinction of having a grassy hut located
on the property facing the roadside. No, it's not a mistake... the snack
bar does look just like the Glendale 9's.
The six screen drive-in theatre opened in 1977 and plays double features. The Scottsdale Six is open every day of the year.
Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Scottsdale, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com Built to handle the booming 1970s suburban car culture, the sprawling six-screen complex could accommodate an impressive 1,800 cars across its terraced viewing fields. Instead of old-school heavy metal window speaker boxes, the Scottsdale Six embraced modern technology by broadcasting crisp movie soundtracks directly into vehicle radios via local FM stereo transmitters. Operating 365 days a year—rain, shine, or blazing desert heat—it offered double features on every screen, making it the premier East Valley destination for family carloads with lawn chairs in the bed of pickup trucks, tailgate picnics, and classic teenage weekend hangouts under the starry desert sky.
Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre
Scottsdale, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Beyond its massive towering screens visible for miles across the open reservation landscape, the heart and soul of the theater was its iconic concession building. Facing the roadside, the central snack bar was designed as a giant, immersive circular tiki hut complete with a Polynesian-inspired faux-thatched roof, retro ordering concourses, and an arcade area. The funky Googie-meets-Tiki design—nearly identical to the setup at the Glendale 9—made midnight popcorn and nacho runs feel like a quirky tropical pit stop right in the middle of the Sonoran desert.
After decades of blockbuster double bills and midnight movie marathons under the West Wind Drive-Ins banner, changing entertainment habits and the expiration of the long-term tribal ground lease brought the era to a close. On August 28, 2011, the projectors flickered on for the very last time, leaving the West Valley's Glendale 9 as the state's last surviving commercial drive-in. During the quiet years that followed, archivists from the Huhugam Ki: Museum carefully documented the grounds and salvaged historical artifacts to preserve the cultural and community legacy of the site.
Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre
Scottsdale, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: The Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre closed about three years ago. The Native American tribe owned the land that the Drive In was on, and when the lease expired they wanted back the land. so they got it. The drive-in has been closed ever since. Many thanks to David Hughes for update. 07-13
UPDATE: The Scottsdale Six operated by West Wind Drive-ins closed the theatre in August 2011 after decided to close the drive-in after reportedly being unable to renegotiate a new lease with the SRPM Indian community who own the land. The drive-in was demolished in May 2014 and all that remains is a vacant lot. Word is a soccer field is may be placed at this site 06-23
UPDATE: In May 2014, the Scottsdale Six was completely demolished. Heavy equipment leveled all six towering screen frames, crushed the circular tiki snack bar, ripped up the vast asphalt parking fields, and returned the 29-acre parcel to raw desert for future commercial development. While the screens and tropical grass hut are gone from McKellips Road, the fond memories of tailgate parties, late-night double features, and cool desert breezes keep the spirit of the Scottsdale Six alive in Arizona drive-in lore. 08-26
More Photos of The Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre
Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Scottsdale Six Drive-in Theatre
