Rising from the Ashes
Like the Phoenix, the original Cine Capri rose from the ashes. In May, 1998, Gayle Homes Martin commissioned a 1/4-inch scale model of the original Cine Capri in honor of her father, the late W.E. "Bill" Homes, Jr., former CEO of Homes & Son Construction Company, Inc., the contractor who built the original theater.
The Cine Capri Model was officially unveiled to the public on Saturday, May 15, 1999, at the Arizona Historical Society Museum, (now the Arizona Heritage Center at Papago Park). The festivities included a silent auction and a slide show presentation in the museum auditorium chronicling the history of the original Cine Capri. The silent auction included paintings of the Cine Capri, opening night photos signed by Charlton Heston, and an original, unpublished Family Circus cartoon created by Bil Keane exclusively for this event. After the slide show, the model was officially unveiled to the public, with George Aurelius, Wayne Kullander, and local architect Harold Williams, a member of the Save the Cine Capri committee doing the honors.
Along with preserving the memory of this iconic Phoenix landmark, this event raised money for two Valley charities; The John C. Lincoln Health Foundation and The Arizona Historical Society. The museum was also gifted with the Cine Capri Model, which remains in their permanent collection.