Sky-Vue Drive-In
1724 Junction City Road,
El Dorado,
AR
71730
1724 Junction City Road,
El Dorado,
AR
71730
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Meaning it’s been closed and demolished 40 something years ago. :)
As far as what is there now in 2024, I haven’t been that way in a long time. Doesn’t really matter at this point.
Although the sign of Fleetwood Homes is still present, the property became empty as of a February 2024 Google Street View. There were homes on the property as late as March 2023, but they are all gone.
The only remnant of the drive-in remaining is what is left of the entrance road.
Gulf States never owned the Skyvue Drive in El Dorado, Arkansas. They owned the Skyvue, now demolished, that was in Mississippi. Union Cinema Corp. owned by my late husband, was the last to own the Skyvue in El Dorado, Arkansas. He bought the business from South Arkansas Amusement Co. which was run by James McWilliams in 1974. We ran the business several years.I even mowed the grass. I was there the last day when we gave away the speakers. Late 70’s/early 80’s. It was since demolished and now is a mobile home sales park.
I wonder what the story was on this temporary shutdown.
Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1970: “Gulf States Theatres announced the closing for an indefinite period of the Skyvue Drive-In at El Dorado, Ark. The Skyvue was closed July 27 and the circuit’s 7 Drive-In at El Dorado went to a full-time schedule July 30.”
Appears to have closed in the late 1980’s.
Previous to our ownership the Sky Vue was owned by Clark and McWilliams that also owned the still beautiful Rialto theatre in El Dorado, Arkansas. Our family also operated the Rialto for years on two different occasions. The drive in was closed not long after the motel up the hill was built. Due to the decline of drive ins everywhere. Plus the screen could not compete with the bright lights coming from the motel.
Two other drive-ins in El Dorado were the Gay Drive-In, and the 7 Drive-In.