Mesa Drive-In
2625 Santa Fe Drive,
Pueblo,
CO
81006
2625 Santa Fe Drive,
Pueblo,
CO
81006
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Chuck and Marianne James sold the Mesa to Marcella Snyder and her husband Jon Parkin, who also own the Tibbs Drive-In in Indianapolis. According to a nice, long article in today’s Pueblo Chieftain, they’re upgrading the plumbing and other stuff and hope to reopen on Memorial Day weekend this year.
Up for sale as of 10/21/21.
https://www.chieftain.com/story/business/2021/10/21/pueblo-mesa-drive-movie-theater-up-sale/8507466002/?fbclid=IwAR2D2m1TuXAF4mMxB-Wwr0GMX67tHNHU5t5AyXlp6X9m6ceSDdlaXfMFAlA#newsletter#newsletter#newsletter#newsletter
In a June 28, 2004 sidebar about Mike Thomason’s 2002 book “Starlight Memories,” the Pueblo Chieftain listed the following “Facts about Mesa Drive-In”:
Opened: Aug. 17, 1951.
Opening day prices: Adults, 50 cents; children under 12, free.
Owner/operator: Roy E. “Tiny” Vaughan (1951-1975).
Current owner/operator: Chuck and Marianne James (1994-present).
First features: ‘The Texas Rangers,’ ‘Icabod and Mr. Toad’ and ‘The Three Little Pigs.’
Most showings: ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968).
Longest opening run: ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993) and ‘Unforgiven’ (1993) – each six weeks.
Longest season: Year-round from April 1958 through January 1960.
Shortest seasons: Late May through late September (1997 and 2001).
The first twinkling of an eye in the history of the Mesa was reported in the May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice:
BLENDE, COLO. – A 26-acre site on Route 50 about one mile east of here has been purchased by officials of the Westland Theatres as the site for a 1,200-car drive-in to be built and completed by May 1, 1951. Construction will not be started until crops now planted have been harvested. The circuit now operated the Chief, Colorado and Victory theatres in Pueblo and a drive-in recently completed near Colorado Springs.
When the Mesa added those two screens, they bought them used from two other Colorado drive-ins that had recently down. One of them was the Lake Estes from Estes Park, and the other was the Pines from Loveland.
Address is 2625 Santa Fe Drive. Website claims a 1951 opening. Current article about and website for the Mesa below. Article indicates it changed ownership in 1994.
http://www.chieftain.com/news/top/pueblo-s-last-drive-in-theater-thrives-under-managers-staff/article_f3bb2c40-88ab-565e-b593-ac3c053e30f9.html
http://www.mesadrive-in.com/