Hi-Way Airport 9 Drive-In
1930 N. Federal Highway,
Dania,
FL
33305
1930 N. Federal Highway,
Dania,
FL
33305
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened in 1954 with one screen The Hiway Drive-In was one of the first drive-in’s to install air conditioning, which was a big hose inserted through the car window blowing cold air inside.
Tripled in 1972. Tripled again in 1975. Once was going to be 10 screens, but the 10th screen was never built. Owned by race car driver Preston Henn, owner of the Thunderbird Drive-In/Swap Shop and the Lakeshore Drive-In.
Closed on Tuesday, August 24, 1982, and today the property is now part of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Contributed by
Harvey
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Article on the closing of the Airport Hi-Way 9 here.
I believe this was the largest drive-in in the country for a while.
“Star Wars,” during its original 1977 run, played here for 24 weeks.
I thought the original runs of STAR WARS were shown exclusively in “hardtops” and that any drive-in runs didn’t take place until the summer 78 reissue.
Not in Florida. I saw it at the Golden Glades Drive-In first run.
Miami News article on closing of Hi-Way Airport here.
IIRC, “The Last Picture Show” was reportedly saved for the end of the farewell evening, as the other eight screens went dark. (In the 90s, Wometco’s Miracle in Coral Gables would end its movie theatre life with the same feature.)
The Hi-Way is already listed in the 1953 Film Daily Yearbook.