Tri-Cities Raceway center revving up for 1st event — drive-in movies with dinner
The former Tri-City Raceway in West Richland it getting a temporary makeover for drive-in movies.—
The Movies @ The Mountain series is kicking off with two race-themed movies with a dinner option, and the Red Mountain Event Center hopes to bring more events to the venue next year.
The Red Mountain Event Center effort is being led by Eric Van Winkle, owner of a project management and business development firm and chairman for the Gesa Carousel of Dreams.
He, along with several others, have plans to join with the city of West Richland to develop the old Tri-City Raceway property.
“We are in the infantile stage to turn it into an event center,” Van Winkle told the Herald. “We’ve got thousands of people responding, wanting us to do something with it. But the end game is that is it doesn’t work unless it’s multi-use.”
The drive-in weekend on the 50-acre site is serving as a fundraiser to revive the raceway, which has been closed down for 17 years.
Van Winkle said that all the proceeds from the event will go toward establishing the center, which will be a nonprofit public-private partnership still being worked on with West Richland city officials.
However, he’s already hoping to have New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day events at the raceway property.
“There’s so much you can do out there. Bicycle racing, electric car racing, a wine festival — anything involving wine, a thrill show, drifting competitions, swap meets, soccer fields, lacrosse fields,” Van Winkle has said.
They’ve chosen a car theme for the first, socially-distanced event.
“Days of Thunder,” with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, will be shown Friday, Oct. 16.
“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, is Saturday, Oct. 17.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and movies starts at 7:30 p.m. Admission per vehicle is $40 with a maximum of six passengers.
If you’re wanting dinner, too, you can choose tri-tip or chicken alfredo catered by Castle Catering and 13 Bones. Meals will be packaged for in-car eating and served through the window, unless buying a VIP package.
Admission to the movie and dinner for four is $125, and a VIP package that costs $175 gives moviegoers a premium parking spot, tableside dining and a swag bag.
Beer, wine, pop and candy will be available for purchase on site. Dinners must be preordered by Tuesday, Oct. 13.
To buy tickets, to go redmountaineventcenter.com.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 12:21 PM.