Sky View Drive-In
5361 N. 72nd Street,
Omaha,
NE
68104
5361 N. 72nd Street,
Omaha,
NE
68104
2 people
favorited this theater
The Sky View Drive-In was opened in August 1954, and at that time was operated by Benson Drive-In’s Corporation, with Ralph Blank as president, and William Miskell. It had a capacity for 1,122 cars and there were 100 seats on top of the concession building for walk-in patrons. It was closed in the late-1980’s
Contributed by
Dan Convery
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Recent comments (view all 17 comments)
THANK YOU! I was racking my brain… Back in the late 70s, my brothers were driven all over Omaha for soccer games, and I remember seeing the remnants of the sign from the intersection of 72nd and Crown Point Avenue as we traveled to and from Roncalli High School.
I believe there was some lettering still on the marquee. An abandoned drive-in held some mystique to my young mind.
Theater Houses ‘Round Town Omaha World-Herald (NE) – Sunday, June 16, 1985
“Skyview
72nd Street and Hartman Avenue, 571 – 0206. One screen. March through December. Tickets are $3.50 per person; children younger than 12 free except for Disney films and other special engagements. Two shows on weekdays, three or more on weekends."
A drive-in, in Omaha, opened in December?!
Approx. address for Sky-View/Sunset drive-in was 5361 N 72nd St, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. The entrance was at the city limits near the golf course.
By the late 70s it had become pretty run-down. But still have fond memories of the horror movies I saw there in my youth with my dad and brother. I remember turning away from The Amityville Horror on opening night due to the mile long line of traffic trying to get into the Skyview.
Does anyone have a photo of the whole marque sign? Thanks
On Sky View’s opening night in 1954, nearly 7,000 people in more than 1,100 cars geared up for the flicks. It even stayed popular into the colder months. Thanks to those in-car electric heaters at no extra charge.
Often on weekends the line of cars waiting to get in would exceed the length of the access road and back up traffic on northbound 72nd street. However, most of this traffic was just going to the drive-in anyway. My family and I were some of the last customers at this drive-in in the late ‘80s, probably 87 or 88. We were there to see Transformers (the feature length cartoon). About halfway through the movie, the projector broke down or something and we all had to leave early. Just weeks later we drove by and noticed it was shut down. Today, it is the only one in the Omaha Metro Area in which the land still sits and has not been redeveloped. Apparently, it was reopened in the mid-nineties, not as a drive-in but as a driving range for golfers.
July 1979 photo added, photo credit Jim Burnett-Omaha World-Herald via the below Hemmings Motor News link.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/07/07/omaha-nebraska-1979-2/
My Sister use to work at Sky View
In the 70’s my parents took me to the drive in every Saturday night. Sometimes the Golden Spike, some times 76th & dodge but more often than not we went to Sky View. Some of the movies caught my attention but mostly they had the best play ground. My Brother and I would play on the little merry go round and the swings. After it got dark we would still run around the play ground or go to the seating area on top of the concession stand that had ample seating and speakers to watch the movie. Any of you who went there during that time likely seen us, my dad always took his Winnebago and parked near the back so he didn’t block other people’s way. That way we also had a place to crash since we often didn’t leave until after 2:00AM.