Pigeon Forge — Pigeon Forge wants to take it back--back to the drive-in movie days.
"It captures the American pop culture experience," Assistant City Manager Eric Brackins said. "We're very excited about this attraction."
Developers are discussing the August Moon Drive-In—an indoor, drive-in movie theater.
The August Moon website shows classic cars lined up in front of huge screen, all housed by a big domed building.
Brackins says representatives from the attraction met with the city commission to gauge interest.
"The city of Pigeon Forge draws a lot of visitors, and it's an attractive place for businesses to come and develop, and we want to keep it that way," Brackins said.
Michael Counts is a director, designer and visual artist from New York. He put the project together.
"Imagine a perfect summer night at a classic american drive-in movie theater in 1965 - the beautiful sunset, a low full moon over the tree line in a country field, fire flies, a summer breeze, the smell of fresh cut grass, stars overhead, sitting in a convertible surrounded by some of the best examples of the golden era of American auto manufacturing, and, of course, dinner and a movie," Counts said.
"That bygone reality is the August Moon Drive-In. As a creator and producer of shows and attractions for over 20 years, I’ve never been more excited or passionate about a project," Counts said. "I think this is a great combination of so many things that people love, and that represent the best of American popular culture, and I think that August Moon will be powerful differentiator for the city that helps introduce it to the world. We couldn’t be more excited about the possibility of opening in Pigeon Forge!!
That vision would possibly sit near the corner of Teaster Lane and Wears Valley Road, and would be part of the larger Mountain Mile development, which will include 174 acres of retail, restaurant, lodging and attractions.
"That property—they have a large attraction in the center of it, it'll be a multi-ride attraction, and so I think this is just another aspect of that overall development," Brackins said.
A development that would also bring back an American classic—the drive-in movie.
Brackins says the city will meet with developers again in a few weeks.
It's early in the process, but he believes the theater will happen.