Union Drive-In
1220 W. Bankhead Street,
New Albany,
MS
38652
1220 W. Bankhead Street,
New Albany,
MS
38652
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So I’m very sure it means that it did open during the 1954 season.
Exhibitor, May 6, 1953: “Flexer Theatres announced plans for a new 450-car drive-in at New Albany, Miss. Flexer has also revealed that New Albany will probably be the first city, regardless of size, to have its theatres 100 percent equipped for 3-D and CinemaScope. He is also planning to equip the local Ritz and the Varsity, Amory, Miss., with CinemaScope projection equipment, as well as the Magnolia and the Albany Drive-In, New Albany, now being built.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 10, 1954: “David Flexer of Flexer Theatres, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., has announced the start of construction of his new drive-in at New Albany, Miss.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 14, 1953: “David Flexer, head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., is building the new 500-car Union drive-in at New Albany, Miss., which he expects to have in operation by May 15.”
Despite that note, a USGS aerial photo taken Oct. 11, 1953 showed no trace of a drive-in at the future Union site. However, another mention indicates that it was open by 1954.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 13, 1954: “A. J. Benya, manager of the Magnolia theatre and the Union Drive-In, New Albany, Miss., used life-size cut-outs and street ballyhoo to good advantage on recent pictures.”
B & B Concrete currently sits on the property. There is no trace of the drive-in remaining that I can confirm.
However, in the Google Maps overhead it may show the foundation of the screen. It’s in about the same location, but I cannot be positive.