Brad Light's Driveinworkshop (www.driveinworkshop.com) - used to be Tim Reed's site.
Cinema Equipment Sales - great info on drive-in layout. www.cinemaequipmentsales.com - go to their "Tech Pages", then click "drive-in"
Selby Products in Ohio, still builds screen towers, and they sent me a great brochure that gave detailed information on screen sizes, # of ramps, distance between ramps, acreage required, etc..
The book - "Drive-In Theatres - A History Since Their Inception", by Kerry Seagraves is a must read.
There is a new drive-in being built near Baltimore, Maryland area that is now under construction. If I'm not mistaken, part of their design also includes "indoor seating". Contact me via email, and I'll put you in contact with the owners & developers.
We used all of the above and developed our site plan with it. We are breaking ground in late September - after baby #2 is born. We will to be open by April 4, 2003 - because the payments on the loans have already started!!
Join the United Drive-In Owner's Association (www.uditoa.org) as a temporary member (if your serious), and I have gained a ton a knowledge from meeting and speaking with various owners from all across the country.
Just my thoughts......
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Barry Floyd
Floyd Entertainment Group
Lebanon, Tennessee
Stardust Drive-In Theatre
Watertown, Tennessee
Bob
I like your "Once more, unto the breach, dear friends!" attitude.
With your experience both as projectionist and theatre owner, you
should do better than many corporate types who had neither.
Best wishes,
Gerard
I am convinced that the biggest problem with the exhibition industry today is that, with rare exception, is is being run by people who know nothing about show business and haven't a clue about their responsibility to the community. For the most part they don't know the people of their community, don't seem to care about their communities and seem to be in league with producers and distributers who want to pump garbage into the community to satisfy the perverted taste they have fostered in some moviegoers.
Their bookers don't familiarize themselves with ALL the product (from here and around the world) and fall into the trap of booking into their mega-plexes the same films the guy across town has booked into his mega-plex (because the DISTRIBUTOR has promoted the things on the tube) and pay 90 percent to get it while it's "hot". Then they attempt to justify the highway robbery that occurs at their box offices and concession stands by touting their digital surround sound and comfy seats (as if they're any better that the digital surround sound and comfy seats the guy across town has) paying little attention to the quality of the product (or the quality of the screen performance for that matter). What amazes me most is that the corporate brass seems to think that because they build a place that is a little newer that the guy's across town(adding more screens to an already over-screened area) people will flock to it when in reality there's no difference in what's offered. And they wonder why their having to file for bankruptsy protection? Where have all the showmen gone?
One problem you may run into since you're on the coast is that dreaded drivein terror: FOG! When the fog rolls in you can't run a show.
Would you believe in this area we have less fog days than areas to the north and south of us in the same county. And if I build it a few miles up river (Rogue) the fog would not be a problem at all. But then the fact that it will have an indoor auditorium (with its own screen) means I can run in any weather.
Bob
I suggest you think about how much your drive-in will cost to operate if you get poor crowds. The secret of success in my opinion is minimising costs and maximising revenues. Whether you get big crowds or small crowds, a drive-in that is cheap to operate will always maximise your profit. Good design is essential.
I have been quite impressed with the design of the following recently closed drive-in theatre
http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/sa_portelliot.htm
As you can see, by situating the snack bar on the side of the road the snack bar was able to generate revenue during the day.
Here is another example of good design
http://www.drive-insdownunder.com.au/australian/sa_barmera.htm
As you can see the boom gate to the drive-in can be remotely operated from the snack bar thus saving on staff.
With the growing popularity of kids playground centres in major shopping centres and elsewhere I have sometimes wondered whether an integrated indoor playground/ outside drive in would work. The snack bar could serve food to playground patrons during the day and the ramps could be used for parking. One could even integrate a small cinema using the same projection room for daylight screenings of kids films.
cheers Peter
Cheers,
Bob
The Old Showman (with a new photo if Brad ever gets it up)
cheers Peter