Airport Drive-In
Airport Road,
Johnson City,
NY
13790
Airport Road,
Johnson City,
NY
13790
4 people
favorited this theater
The Airport Drive-In opened in 1961, to replace the Front Drive-In which was torn down to build I-81. The drive-in was located on Airport Road, just below the Broome County Airport. It held 1,001 cars.
Loews moved me to the Binghamton area in 1990, and the Airport Drive-In was limping. I was able to convince my Division Manager to let me revamp the Drive-In—we made it second-run, at a carload price, and did several successful promotions with Wendy’s and an area radio station. We were a hit, and the drive-in pushed on for another three years. We were able to repaint the screen, install FM sound (the AM would cut out when a plane flew overhead!), paint the buildings, and mow down the last 10 or so ramps, which hadn’t been used in years. We actually sold out on a few occasions-one time even delaying flights out of the airport because of the traffic (two lane road)!
After the summer of 1993, Loews opened the Town Square multiplex in nearby Vestal, and we lost the lease on the drive-in because we would not renew two of the single-screen ‘hardtops’ (Cinema Endicott and Towne Theatre Endicott) that the landlord owned. They would not allow us to just lease the drive-in. So the Airport sat, fully equipped and ready to open for the season, for about five years before it was demolished!! Of course, vandals moved in…
Contributed by
Joe Masher
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Does anyone know if the land is for sale? I read that the landlord demolished the lot but does anyone know if there is anything left? I’ve been considering re opening it.
i enjoyed the airport drive in for many years. i wish i had taken some pictures, at the time, i thought it would be there forever. late summer early fall of the drive ins last season open, which i think was 92 or 93, i took my 69 impala convertible with the top down on a cold night, i kept the top down for the entire movie in spite of the crazy looks i was getting and the pleas of my then girlfriend to put the top up. im glad i went. as far as landlords, what a fickle greedy bunch. i guess they figure its better to let a place sit idle and tear it down than rent it. if it was still open and functional, what a great place to host a cruise in instead of that rotten town square mall.
This site has some information. Address given is 2260 Airport Road.
This 2002 aerial view shows the former drive-in:
http://tinyurl.com/yc5tks3
Another LOEWS drive-in,I did not know that they had that many.
Lowes did not build this drive-in, they “inherited” it as they swallowed up smaller theatre chains throughout the 80s and 90s. Drive-ins sometimes came along with the deal, and the chains would treat them like a red-headed step child, milking them for years without putting money back into the operations. By the time they were done, the drive-in would be run down to the point where nobody would want to operate it, and the only practical course of action was redevelopment.
The Airport was a classic case of owner/operator negligence, as this drive-in was far enough on the outskirts of town that it could still be open and thriving today. The site is now a big hole in the ground, as the property has been put to use as a drainage retention area. Thank you UA/Lowes.
I saw a great double feature of Revenge of the Nerds and Porky’s Revenge here in 1985 — a perfect couple of drive-in flicks!
Updated Aerial link HERE
Story with so many drive-ins,NYozoner.Loews probably never BUILT a Drive-in Theatre.
Not true Mike,Loews built several drive-ins in Florida.