Aaron, I being a member of the family who owned and built the theater wish to clarify that the theater closed because it simply became simply too expensive with property taxes and everything else to operate the drive-in only a few months a year. Back then the Projectionist Union was in total control and we were paying those guys around a $100 per hour and we had to pay for two guys and only 1 was required to show up. The movies were booked on % deals and we made nothing on them, it was all on concessions,, that why stuff is so darn expensive even today at theaters. Finally a few years later General Cinema broke the Union control because they had enough clout and money to fight them. When M&R ran it for my family, they used to try to keep it open during the winter but it wasn’t profitable doing so. The indoors had much better sound and pictures as well and back then people wanted the quality and didn’t realize the historical perspective of losing drive-ins. M&R walked away after 1982 because they couldn’t make money so my family took it back and I ran the theater the last 3 years it was open, with several other family members. I do not remember any flooding issue that you talk about and I was there pretty much everyday during the season from April thru October. The site as well was and is developed into what I believe is a giant industrial type building, but I know the land is not vacant today. If my memory serves me correct the “Grand Opening” featured the original “Planet Of The Apes” movie.
Just wish to clarify, the family who built Sky Hi was named Jelinek, not Jelmek. It was my grandparents and Uncle who started it all. They also built and operated the Dundale in Dundee as well. The Theatre stood where the Drury Lane now stands. They then built the Sky-Hi Twin in Addison which opened in 1968. It was state of the art being a twin screen and was completely asphalted as well. That theater closed after the season of 1985.
Aaron, I being a member of the family who owned and built the theater wish to clarify that the theater closed because it simply became simply too expensive with property taxes and everything else to operate the drive-in only a few months a year. Back then the Projectionist Union was in total control and we were paying those guys around a $100 per hour and we had to pay for two guys and only 1 was required to show up. The movies were booked on % deals and we made nothing on them, it was all on concessions,, that why stuff is so darn expensive even today at theaters. Finally a few years later General Cinema broke the Union control because they had enough clout and money to fight them. When M&R ran it for my family, they used to try to keep it open during the winter but it wasn’t profitable doing so. The indoors had much better sound and pictures as well and back then people wanted the quality and didn’t realize the historical perspective of losing drive-ins. M&R walked away after 1982 because they couldn’t make money so my family took it back and I ran the theater the last 3 years it was open, with several other family members. I do not remember any flooding issue that you talk about and I was there pretty much everyday during the season from April thru October. The site as well was and is developed into what I believe is a giant industrial type building, but I know the land is not vacant today. If my memory serves me correct the “Grand Opening” featured the original “Planet Of The Apes” movie.
Just wish to clarify, the family who built Sky Hi was named Jelinek, not Jelmek. It was my grandparents and Uncle who started it all. They also built and operated the Dundale in Dundee as well. The Theatre stood where the Drury Lane now stands. They then built the Sky-Hi Twin in Addison which opened in 1968. It was state of the art being a twin screen and was completely asphalted as well. That theater closed after the season of 1985.