Sunset Rollerama 1120 South Swan Road, Tucson, AZ. Current location as of 2019. Now houses a martial artist school. Before that, a medical center. And before that, of course, Sunset Rollerama. Source: Google.
AD seen in Arizona Daily Star. Date is unknown.
Sunset Rollerama 1120 South Swan Road, Tucson, AZ. Wow, some big bands did play at this rink! Source: Tucson Daily Citizen. 09 August 1968
Sunset Rollerama 1120 South Swan Road, Tucson, AZ. Compeittions. Source: Tucson Daily Citizen. 21 May 1963.
Sunset Rollerama 1120 South Swan Road, Tucson, AZ
Sunset Rollerama in Tucsun, Arizona had interesting history to it. It was a well known establishment back the day hosting huge names to play concerts there. There were big names such as Fats Domino, Chubby Checker, The Silhouetes and the Routers according to a former worker at the rink who got to meet big names. Jefferson Airplane also played in 1968.
They even wanted Elvis Presley but Elvis' manager wanted 50 Thousand Dollars. Big money back the day in 1950s/60s which would amount to $427,267.01 (in 2019) based on 1960 USD. That would be quite expensive and unprofitable for such venue that size. You would need a stadium to recoup all that money plus a few more concerts to earn a profit.
The owners, The Youngs - Lonas and his wife, were smart back the day doing so because they could boost popularity of the rink. This was one of very few rinks (I know of a FEW rinks in New England did this too) to host big names.
The Youngs' son, Randy was a champion skater who recently passed in 2015.
I have no idea what the building was like before it closed and sold and became a medical center. Likely the Rollerama due to the sounding of its name, might be from 1930s to end of 1960s I have no information when it first opened and when it closed for good.
Based on Google Map, I see about half of the building with Flat roof and the other half domed with curved ends. It apparently showed what part of the building they had for the rink. It was rear half of the building.
It is hard to determined the appearance because I am seeing two different appearances now-the former medical center and the current marital arts training center.
Likely they had the entire building for the Rollerama because of the concerts and all.
If that is the case, then this explains about the building: 23,264 SF on a 1.26 acres. Loopnet says it was built in 1970. Likely it was built as expansion. The rink perhaps was open before that because of the horrible incidents at the time. You see, staff and skaters in Data-City website mentioned someone they thought he looked familiar. He was the "Pied Piper of Tucson" that he frequented went to this very rink to boost his ego and his lies to lure women. He hated that he was called Charley and his short statue of 5 feet 3 inches (About 158 cm).
I do not find any information connecting the rink to Charles Schmidt, the killer through mainstream media but it was all known rumors he was there. The staff there had to kick him out often. Many of the girls thought he was cute. It was his charm that lured the girls.
It is said he met the girls at the rink and did the murder eventually. Good thing his bragging rights about his murdering eventually got him arrested and later, jailed and because of what he did to the girls, likely that is what happened to him in prison, he got himself murdered by his inmates just merely about 5 or 6 years in prison in a 50 years sentence that he was supposed to face death penalty.
It was possible he met them at the rink because of the victims' age were teenage and he was not in high school. He was already out of high school or around there.
Did the bad experience with Charles Schmidt Jr. kind of closed down the rink? It was possible.
Unfortunately I have no photos of the interior or the rink itself.
UPDATE! -- 11 March 2022.
I received an email from someone who was there at this rink. Here is what he has to say and what he copied off from somewhere else--
Did we speak? Yes, Smitty, Charles Schmidt, who attended Rincon with his best friend Charlie, Charles Brun (?) was there almost every night of the week. (R.K. who send me this copied this from somewhere. I believe it was a forum so read on.)
Saw my first concert there - surf bands all sponsored by Doris Day['s] son Terry Melcher, 3 bands, like the Ripchords. According to legacy, all the same band members, but they changed clothes. None of us knew. There was 2 rinks. A vinyl side and a wood side. Remember Randy Young. He'd play the records on the wood floor. (Oh shocking! 3 "bands" were actually ONE band but redressed as 2 other bands. Haha! Sneaky! Must be they got paid 3 times more!)
Surf concert was summer 1965 believe.
December, 1965, Byrds played. I met the opening act from Phoenix. We talked for quite some time. Their names were The Spiders. You know them as Alice Cooper today.
I was gone for the Airplane. They used to hang out at a coffee shop across from a 7/11 on 6th Street (5th?) near U of A. Illinois Speed Press would sit in front so no one got to Airplane in the back. Doors also came to same place quite often.
Wow, thank you. Really funny about the 3 "bands" which were actually ONE band. Clever.
Interior:
It had two rinks. Even a bowling alley. One floor was Vinyl to skate on. the other was wood. He did not specify what wood and vinyl. I think he meant is a different material. Will find out.
The Swan side of the building had vinyl floor and the other on the back side was wood. Snack bar located on south side of building on that side. Even farther south of that was where you'd get your skates and the ticket booth right by the door. On the Venice (?) side was a huge dirt lot, but the wood floor faced the Venice side and it took up the entire north to south. If it was too crowded on the wood side, you went to the vinyl flooring. - R.K. (partial edited)
Exterior:
It was a 23,264 Square Feet Free-Span Steel Trusses, Cinderblocks-walled showroom-type Building. The roof was a combination of Segmental Arch and Flatted.
Stats:
Rink A Size: N/A. Floor: "Vinyl". Floor Layout: Tiles.
Rink B Size: N/A. Floor: Wood (Maple?). Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 23,264 SF Built: "1970" (Loop Net reported). Renovations: likely in 1970 (Loopnet)
Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses, Cinderblocks-walled showroom-type Building
Roof: Combination- Segmental Arch and Flatted.
Acres: 1.2600 AC.
Organ: None.
Lanes: N/A. (Do not know how many lanes.
Operated: Likely 1950s to 1980s (still not got the dates).
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding Photos and actual dates of open and closed. More proof about Charlie Schmidt Jr did meet the girls at the rink?
Sources:
Loopnet - as a medical center PDF
City-Data on Tucson
Tucson Daily Citizen
Charles Schmidt - NYT article. You can google tons of articles on this serial killer.
Randy Young - son of owners - obituary.
Email - R.K. (11 March 2022).
Worth to Visit:
None.
Date of Issue: 2019.
Update: 11 March 2022.
For Office Only: 4.
© 2019 -2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
They even wanted Elvis Presley but Elvis' manager wanted 50 Thousand Dollars. Big money back the day in 1950s/60s which would amount to $427,267.01 (in 2019) based on 1960 USD. That would be quite expensive and unprofitable for such venue that size. You would need a stadium to recoup all that money plus a few more concerts to earn a profit.
The owners, The Youngs - Lonas and his wife, were smart back the day doing so because they could boost popularity of the rink. This was one of very few rinks (I know of a FEW rinks in New England did this too) to host big names.
The Youngs' son, Randy was a champion skater who recently passed in 2015.
I have no idea what the building was like before it closed and sold and became a medical center. Likely the Rollerama due to the sounding of its name, might be from 1930s to end of 1960s I have no information when it first opened and when it closed for good.
Based on Google Map, I see about half of the building with Flat roof and the other half domed with curved ends. It apparently showed what part of the building they had for the rink. It was rear half of the building.
It is hard to determined the appearance because I am seeing two different appearances now-the former medical center and the current marital arts training center.
Likely they had the entire building for the Rollerama because of the concerts and all.
If that is the case, then this explains about the building: 23,264 SF on a 1.26 acres. Loopnet says it was built in 1970. Likely it was built as expansion. The rink perhaps was open before that because of the horrible incidents at the time. You see, staff and skaters in Data-City website mentioned someone they thought he looked familiar. He was the "Pied Piper of Tucson" that he frequented went to this very rink to boost his ego and his lies to lure women. He hated that he was called Charley and his short statue of 5 feet 3 inches (About 158 cm).
I do not find any information connecting the rink to Charles Schmidt, the killer through mainstream media but it was all known rumors he was there. The staff there had to kick him out often. Many of the girls thought he was cute. It was his charm that lured the girls.
It is said he met the girls at the rink and did the murder eventually. Good thing his bragging rights about his murdering eventually got him arrested and later, jailed and because of what he did to the girls, likely that is what happened to him in prison, he got himself murdered by his inmates just merely about 5 or 6 years in prison in a 50 years sentence that he was supposed to face death penalty.
It was possible he met them at the rink because of the victims' age were teenage and he was not in high school. He was already out of high school or around there.
Did the bad experience with Charles Schmidt Jr. kind of closed down the rink? It was possible.
Unfortunately I have no photos of the interior or the rink itself.
UPDATE! -- 11 March 2022.
I received an email from someone who was there at this rink. Here is what he has to say and what he copied off from somewhere else--
Did we speak? Yes, Smitty, Charles Schmidt, who attended Rincon with his best friend Charlie, Charles Brun (?) was there almost every night of the week. (R.K. who send me this copied this from somewhere. I believe it was a forum so read on.)
Saw my first concert there - surf bands all sponsored by Doris Day['s] son Terry Melcher, 3 bands, like the Ripchords. According to legacy, all the same band members, but they changed clothes. None of us knew. There was 2 rinks. A vinyl side and a wood side. Remember Randy Young. He'd play the records on the wood floor. (Oh shocking! 3 "bands" were actually ONE band but redressed as 2 other bands. Haha! Sneaky! Must be they got paid 3 times more!)
Surf concert was summer 1965 believe.
December, 1965, Byrds played. I met the opening act from Phoenix. We talked for quite some time. Their names were The Spiders. You know them as Alice Cooper today.
I was gone for the Airplane. They used to hang out at a coffee shop across from a 7/11 on 6th Street (5th?) near U of A. Illinois Speed Press would sit in front so no one got to Airplane in the back. Doors also came to same place quite often.
Wow, thank you. Really funny about the 3 "bands" which were actually ONE band. Clever.
Interior:
It had two rinks. Even a bowling alley. One floor was Vinyl to skate on. the other was wood. He did not specify what wood and vinyl. I think he meant is a different material. Will find out.
The Swan side of the building had vinyl floor and the other on the back side was wood. Snack bar located on south side of building on that side. Even farther south of that was where you'd get your skates and the ticket booth right by the door. On the Venice (?) side was a huge dirt lot, but the wood floor faced the Venice side and it took up the entire north to south. If it was too crowded on the wood side, you went to the vinyl flooring. - R.K. (partial edited)
Exterior:
It was a 23,264 Square Feet Free-Span Steel Trusses, Cinderblocks-walled showroom-type Building. The roof was a combination of Segmental Arch and Flatted.
Stats:
Rink A Size: N/A. Floor: "Vinyl". Floor Layout: Tiles.
Rink B Size: N/A. Floor: Wood (Maple?). Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 23,264 SF Built: "1970" (Loop Net reported). Renovations: likely in 1970 (Loopnet)
Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses, Cinderblocks-walled showroom-type Building
Roof: Combination- Segmental Arch and Flatted.
Acres: 1.2600 AC.
Organ: None.
Lanes: N/A. (Do not know how many lanes.
Operated: Likely 1950s to 1980s (still not got the dates).
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding Photos and actual dates of open and closed. More proof about Charlie Schmidt Jr did meet the girls at the rink?
Sources:
Loopnet - as a medical center PDF
City-Data on Tucson
Tucson Daily Citizen
Charles Schmidt - NYT article. You can google tons of articles on this serial killer.
Randy Young - son of owners - obituary.
Email - R.K. (11 March 2022).
Worth to Visit:
None.
Date of Issue: 2019.
Update: 11 March 2022.
For Office Only: 4.
© 2019 -2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.