posted 06-09-2009 05:32 PM                       

quote: Dennis Benjamin

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I wonder if that hole is still open?

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posted 07-10-2009 02:27 PM                       

quote:

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Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-in convinces judge to dim lights at nearby Ohio Sports Park in North Ridgeville
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Donna J. Miller
Plain Dealer Reporter
North Ridgeville -- The Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-in persuaded a judge to dim the lights at a nearby sports center because the brightness washes out the images on the movie complex's screens.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Edward Zaleski issued a preliminary injunction Monday ordering the Ohio Sports Park to turn off many of the lights on five of its seven ball fields by 9:45 p.m. each night.

The drive-in won a temporary restraining order last month to get some of the sports park's lights turned off while the case was argued in court. The preliminary injunction takes its place. Zaleski ordered both sides to return to court July 24 to review how the measure is working.

The $3 million, 67-acre Ohio Sports Park is about 600 feet from the drive-in.

In addition to its seven ball fields, it has outdoor basketball and volleyball courts and nine soccer fields.

Deb Sherman, owner of the drive-in, said many customers complained about the picture on the screens after the sports park illuminated fields in the spring. The Aut-O-Rama opened in 1965 and is one of 33 drive-ins left in Ohio. Zaleski acknowledged in his ruling that the actions of the sports park had hurt the drive-in's business and would continue to do so without the preliminary injunction.

Sherman called the judge's decision a "huge relief."

"It should solve the problems for now, if he follows it," she added, referring to Larry Vassil, owner of the sports complex.

Vassil did not return a call Monday seeking a comment on the preliminary injunction. He said last month that he went through the city's planning commission and received all the proper permits before opening the sports park.

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posted 07-26-2009 11:47 AM                       

quote:

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Drive-in and sports park settle light fight in North Ridgeville
Posted by Michael Sangiacomo/Plain Dealer Reporter July 24, 2009 14:04PM
Categories: Breaking News, Real Time News

ELYRIA — The shows -- and the ball games -- will go on in North Ridgeville.

The owners of the Aut-O-Rama Drive-in and the Ohio Sports Park reached a court-approved agreement over the lights at the sports park, which had adversely affected the picture quality on screens at the drive-in.

Aut-O-Rama owner Deb Sherman said new light shields installed on four of the five fields have solved the problem. The last lights on one field are expected to be shielded soon and until that time, the ballpark must turn off it's lights 45 minutes after sundown.

"That's all it took, as we had asked for back in May," she said. "Once the shields were put on, our pictures were fine. And it only cost $11,000, not the $300,000 the ball park originally said it would cost."
The $3 million, 67-acre Ohio Sports Park is about 600 feet from the drive-in across the Ohio Turnpike. In addition to its seven ball fields, it has outdoor basketball and volleyball courts and nine soccer fields.

The owner said in June that he went through the city's planning commission and received all the proper permits before opening the sports park.

At a hearing this morning, Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge Edward Zaleski ordered Ohio Sports Park to turn off its remaining unshielded ballfield lights 45 minutes after sundown.

Since the days grow shorter the rest of the year, the court included a list of times that the lights are to be shut down through the drive-in's final week of the season on Oct. 9. This weekend, the ball park lights must be turned off by 9:38 p.m., on Oct. 9 they must be turned off by 7:41 p.m.

Sports park owner Larry Vassil signed the court judgment order today. He did not return calls for comment.

The judge ordered a conference on Oct. 23 to determine if the order is being followed.

Sherman said she complained to the judge that the ball park had violated the judge's previous order to turn out lights at 45 minutes after sundown.

"The judge said that the curfew is the curfew, no more finishing an inning or extending the time for any reason," she said. "He said there could be fines, damages, even jail if it continues."

Sherman said the lights were hurting their business, which has been in operation at the same location since 1965.

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posted 07-28-2009 10:19 PM                       

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen

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50K doesn't seem like very much to even bother for. She must be looking at only loosing one years revenue there.

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Been a while since you went to a drive-in, Mark? Nobody's getting first-run if they can't make more than that in a season. Some of us actually manage to raise & educate our families, pay these places off and still afford a tank of gas once in a while.

I don't know where Deb came up with the $50k figure. I understand that's a pretty successful place. Maybe the original story was wrong & she was looking for that per month!