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1968 News Article: Twin Drive-In Rising At Grand Rapids - Construction is in progress on a new 2,500-car twin
drive-in, the first of its kind in western Michigan, for National Amusements, to be operated by Redstome
Management. Location is in the southeastern Grand Rapids area at Interstate Highway 96 and 28th Street.
The project, budgeted to cost $300,000, is planned for opening by summer. A back-to-back type construction
is planned for the two units, with 50x120-foot screens. (These plans were changed, the back-to-back screen
design was NOT utilized, the screens were actually placed on opposite ends of the lot - ed.) The tower is
designed for wind resistance up to 120 miles an hour. Operating plans include provision for staggering starting
hours, showing the same bills in both sections, as well as running entirely separate attractions in a flexible
policy. (Box Office Magazine 2/19/68)
1968 News Article: Wind Topples One Screen At Grand Rapids Cascade - One of the screens at the Cascade Twin
Drive-In, under construction for Redstone Theatres at Grand Rapids, was blown over by high winds. A construction
spokesman attributed the disaster to the accumulation of wind pressure by the bowed construction of the tower,
functioning much like a sail. The theatre was planned for a November opening but this loss is expected to delay
the opening of at least one unit for several months. (Box Office Magazine 9/2/68)
1969 News Article: The Cascade Twin Drive-In at Grand Rapids has been renamed as Cascade Red and Cascade Blue
and is set for a May 7 opening. Bill Kelly is the film buyer. (Box Office Magazine 4/23/69)
1969 News Article: The Deluxe Twin Drive-In at Grand Rapids will open this month, and construction has begun
on another twin drive-in at Lansing, to be completed in the fall.
(Box Office Magazine 5/12/69)
1969 News Article: Cascade Twin Drive-In Opens - On 40 acres, four miles out of Grand Rapids, Mich., the
Cascade Twin Drive-In Theatre was opened this summer. This was the first twin drive-in for the state. The
marquee shown in the picture above was coded red and blue for each theatre, using Adler silhouette plastic
clip-on letters. The shed beneath the canopy, constructed of redwood, is used for storing the letters and
equipment for marquee changes. The architect's drawing is shown, with the overall layout. (The architect's
drawing shown in the
article is actually the M-78 Drive-In - ed.)
The screens are on either side of the 2,300 car area. The cafeteria-style refreshment stand is of brick and
the common projection booth showing projectors facing both Red and Blue screens is shown. A special feature
of the Cascade is a free kiddie playground with equipment from the Miracle Equipment Company. A six-lane
entrance road approaches three toll booths which can handle two lanes each. Three-foot illuminated post
lights are coded red or blue to the color of each theatre. Cedar split rails and cedar pickets fence the
area and it is all landscaped. CREDITS: Architect: William Riseman, Cash Register: National Cash Register,
Changeable Sign Equipment: Adler, Cornpopper: Charles Manley Co., Counters: Formica by Mastercraft, Drink
Dispensers: Selmix, Food Warmers: Linsey Corp., Heaters: Eprad, Lamphouses: Strong, Lenses: Kollmorgen,
Playground Equipment: Miracle Equipment Co., Projection Equipment: Century, Sound Equipment: Altec, Screen
Towers: Segal Sign Co., Speakers: Eprad-Merit, Traffic Control System: Eprad Car-Check. See the article in
hi-res here.
(Boxoffice Magazine - November,1969 - Courtesy
Jeff Logan/Starlite Drive-In Mitchell, SD)
Status: Gone, Showcase Cinema indoor theater at front of lot, heavily overgrown drive-in field, ramps, and
driveway are still there. The screens, snack bar, and ticket booths are gone, this big drive-in had 3 screens,
4 ticket booths, and 8 traffic lanes, has possibilities? (Michigan Drive-In Theater Guide 10/98)
Update: It was torn done maybe a year (Oct 97) before you were there. The large screens were curved
(dished) with steel framework un-like anything else I have ever seen pictures of. I really wish I had
trespassed with my camera. (Les Hale 10/12/99)
Update: The Cascade site has been completely mowed, and has had some excavation. The ramps for all three
theatres remain intact, as do the ticket booth and snack bar foundations. Two of three screen foundations
were also found. Also, National Amusement's Showcase Cinema indoor theater, which ran in conjunction with
their Cascade Drive-In, has been closed. The building has been completely gutted, and the property is for
sale. (Michigandriveins.com 4/27/03)
Update: The demolition of the adjacent Showcase Cinema building is now under way. The lot is reportedly
destined to become a Lowes store. (Waterwinterwonderland.com 8/8/03)
Update: All traces of the Cascade Drive-In Theatre have now been completely wiped away with the construction
of a Costco store on the site. The adjacent Showcase Cinema indoor theatre is also history, only the battered
marquee and an entrance sign remain. (Michigandriveins.com 10/17/04)
Update: The Cascade Red & Blue Twin Drive-In became the Cascade Triple Drive-In in July of 1977 with the
addition of the third "green" screen. The July 7th ad newspaper ad proclaimed "Tomorrow - A New Concert
In Drive-In Theatres - 3 Screeens Red-Blue-Green At One Location!" The exact same ad was again run July 8th,
9th and 10th, most likely the green screen opened on Friday, July 8th. One of National Amusements other Red
& Blue Twin Drive-Ins, the M-78 in East Lansing, underwent a similar makeover in May 1977,
also becoming a triple. (MichiganDriveins.com 11/13/04)
Update: The Showcase marquee and sign have been removed, no trace of it or the drive-in remain.
(Michigandriveins.com 6/11/05)
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