Council Bluffs Drive-In
1150 Veterans Memorial Highway,
Council Bluffs,
IA
51501
1150 Veterans Memorial Highway,
Council Bluffs,
IA
51501
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Central States Theatres Corp, Tri-State Theatres (TX)
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 13, 2007 — Lake Manawa Drive-In theatre is officially demolished
The Council Bluffs Drive-In was in operation for a over half century opening July 14, 1950 with Mickey Rooney in “The Big Wheel”. It could accommodate 600 cars.
The Council Bluffs Drive-In showed double bills during the week and triple bills on Friday and Saturday. Audio was provided through radio.
The Council Bluffs Drive-In was closed in late-2006 and was demolished in 2007. At that time, the owners were hoping to build a new twin-screen drive-in theatre at another location.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
There is an article in the Council Bluffs Nonpareil dated 7/13/50 which discusses the opening of a new drive-in in the city. I’m not sure if it’s the same as the one listed as they just call it “The Drive-In”. Here is an excerpt from the article:
The new Drive-in theater here â€" one of the most modern in the middle west â€" will celebrate its grand opening at 7 p.m. Friday, William Miskell, Omaha district manager of Tri-States Theatres announced. It is located on a 12-acre tract on Highway 275 at Eleventh Street, immediately west of the closed Stork club. B.J. Dudgeon of Omaha will manage the enterprise. He also manages another Tri-States Drive-in at Omaha. Opening feature, which will begin at dusk Friday, is “The Big Wheel.” It’s a midget auto racing story starring Mickey Rooney. Free souvenirs will be distributed at the opening.
I’ve come across hundreds of drive-ins from the 40s and 50s that could be listed on CT, but the time involved would be extraordinary. Besides, there are plenty of websites with comprehensive lists of “dead theaters” if you’re interested in that area.
It’s such a shame this closed! I knew this would happen. They are tearing down something that was a land mark for this town! Lets hope another drive in is built.
The location is now a server farm owned by Google.
Opened by Tri-States Theatre Circuit on July 14, 1950 showing “The Big Wheel.” The land cost $23,970 with the drive-in costing $100,000. Central States Theatre Circuit took on the theater shortly thereafter getting involved with in a price-fixing case along with seven other drive-ins.
The ozoner operated until closing at the end of the 2006 season with Central States Theatre selling it in January of 2007 for $1,250,000. The theater was demolished later that year.
Was there a drive-in to right of the Council Bluffs drive-in seen above in the photo?
David, go to HistoricAerials.com and punch in the addresses you see on Cinema Treasures. A lot of times you might be able to answer your own questions :) In looking back on that site it doesn’t appear that there was ever a drive in adjacent to the one in the photo.
Council Bluffs Drive-in could have expaned on to the vacant lot next door, rather than have closed down?
Closed on 27/12/2007.
A more accurate address for this theater is 1150 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. This points directly to the entrance road. Now part of Google Iowa.
Please update.