Swap Shop Fun-Lan Drive-In
2302 E. Hillsborough Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33610
2302 E. Hillsborough Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33610
10 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Floyd Theaters
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Fun-Lan Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The Fun-Lan Drive-In opened on January 10, 1950 with Cary Grant in “I Was a Male War Bride”. It had a capacity for 700 cars. Admission price that day was 48 cents. By 1957 the Fun-Lan Drive-In was operated by Floyd Theaters. A second screen was added on December 16, 1983, a third screen added later, and in 2006 a fourth screen was added.
Since the installation of digital projectors the theatre has only operated two screens. It was closed on December 2, 2021.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 57 comments)
Also I doubt this theater has the capacity for a 700 cars anymore with the addition of the awnings and other structures. I would say 600 at the most.
With digital projection can you actually see a scope film in scope? Floyd theaters wanted the screens full all the time so all screens were flat and any scope films were projected off the sides of the screen. I HATED IT
Sad news. It was reported last night…via the Tampa Bay Creative Loafing website…that the Fun Lan is now history. Their final night of operation was this past December 2. The article in said website shows a photo of the Fun Lan marquee with the words MISS YOU which is the last part of the whole readout: “MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR – WE WILL MISS YOU”
The article about the Fun Lan’s closing was reprinted in the Orlando Weekly. No one’s sure who bought the place, since the City of Tampa denies rumors that it was the purchaser. “On Thursday, Dec. 2, they were told in person that Sunday would be the last business day. Their last day with a job and a paycheck is Friday (Dec. 10). In the meantime, they are assigned to work on the property and keep anyone from trespassing.”
Well that’s it for Tampa’s drive-ins. The Fun-Lan was the last one in operation within the city having survived all the others now long gone. I saw many films here during the 60s & 70s. The Fun-Lan was a nice, clean and well-managed single screen drive-in during this time under Tampa Bay Theaters Inc. and later Floyd Theaters. The one drawback was the standard-size screen which was never widened for CinemaScope projection. Evidently management wasn’t interested in investing a little extra for a wider screen.
For several decades the swap shop was a weekly destination for flea market lovers so I’m surprised they closed it as well. I would have thought the swap shop (supposedly still drawing decent crowds on the weekends) would have remained open at least for some time following closure of the drive-in.
Nick I am surprised digital projection didn’t at least have some scope capabilities
Mike, As I recall the last time I visited, the digital image projected for scope films contained black bars at the top and bottom of the screen displaying a slightly wide image but not true scope.
I thought that might be the case. It’s sad they closed.
Can anybody confirm the films shown on the Fun Lan’s final night of operation?
A May 2022 Google Street View shows the property to be empty save for the screens. All structures have been removed.