Airport Drive-In
2260 Airport Road,
Johnson City,
NY
13790
2260 Airport Road,
Johnson City,
NY
13790
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The land is currently for sale, and looks like it has been for a while.
The entrance road is still there too. 1200 cars.
The soft opening was on 5/9/1961. The site is now a drainage retention area. The exit sign is still there, and one speaker post too.
I grew up on the Southside of Johnson City and have fond memories of going to the drive in on Saturday night in the 60’s. Mom made a big brown paper bag of popcorn, candy and soda were also on the menu. Sometimes we went early, because there used to be a small amusement park outside of the drive in, but just below the screen.Was always a treat to get something from the concession stand.We also went to the V Drive in Vestal.
This opened on September 6th, 1961. Grand opening ad in photo section and below.
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More information here
I remember reading a newspaper article around the time of its closure about it not being worth fighting to keep open because of rowdyism and crime going on, such as the sale of drugs, in it’s later days. I do remember not wanting to return there after our last visit because of all the “thug” types wandering around. This would have been 1992 or 1993.
I saw a Planet of the Apes series “Dusk ‘til Dawn” marathon here with my first serious boyfriend. I think it was probably the first ever drive-in I went to with my parents (there was also a drive-in in nearby Vestal). I remember seeing the MGM lion roaring and then nothing else because I fell asleep. It was my son’s first and last drive-in experience. He was a baby, so he fell asleep also! The drive-in closed soon after that.
A friend of mine lives near Nashville, Tenn., and in Murffesboro they are building a new drive-in theater, slated to open in August of this year.
OOH a cheerleader double feature!!!!
The first place I ever…um…batted a triple!
Not true Mike,Loews built several drive-ins in Florida.
Story with so many drive-ins,NYozoner.Loews probably never BUILT a Drive-in Theatre.
Updated Aerial link HERE
I saw a great double feature of Revenge of the Nerds and Porky’s Revenge here in 1985 — a perfect couple of drive-in flicks!
Lowes did not build this drive-in, they “inherited” it as they swallowed up smaller theatre chains throughout the 80s and 90s. Drive-ins sometimes came along with the deal, and the chains would treat them like a red-headed step child, milking them for years without putting money back into the operations. By the time they were done, the drive-in would be run down to the point where nobody would want to operate it, and the only practical course of action was redevelopment.
The Airport was a classic case of owner/operator negligence, as this drive-in was far enough on the outskirts of town that it could still be open and thriving today. The site is now a big hole in the ground, as the property has been put to use as a drainage retention area. Thank you UA/Lowes.
Another LOEWS drive-in,I did not know that they had that many.
This 2002 aerial view shows the former drive-in:
http://tinyurl.com/yc5tks3
i enjoyed the airport drive in for many years. i wish i had taken some pictures, at the time, i thought it would be there forever. late summer early fall of the drive ins last season open, which i think was 92 or 93, i took my 69 impala convertible with the top down on a cold night, i kept the top down for the entire movie in spite of the crazy looks i was getting and the pleas of my then girlfriend to put the top up. im glad i went. as far as landlords, what a fickle greedy bunch. i guess they figure its better to let a place sit idle and tear it down than rent it. if it was still open and functional, what a great place to host a cruise in instead of that rotten town square mall.
Does anyone know if the land is for sale? I read that the landlord demolished the lot but does anyone know if there is anything left? I’ve been considering re opening it.
I worked at AIRPORT KIDDIELAND in the summer of 1966, the summer before my senior year in high school. There were no teacups. The rides were almost all completely from the Herschell Carousel Company in North Tonawanda, NY (yes, the same company which made all 6 of the Triple Cities Carousels donated by the Endicott Johnsons in the 1930s — the company had an entire division CALLED Kiddieland with all these small kiddie-size rides) Airport Kiddieland was owned & operated by Dr. Naim N. Khuri. He built & opened it in the 1950’s simply because he loved children. I had myself ridden all those rides there as a child !! Airport Kiddieland did a booming business in the 50’s & early 60’s but by the late 60s & early 70’s business had fallen off. Dr. Khuri also started the Airport Drive-In with, I believe, 2 other partners in the early 60s & soon the 2 businesses complemented & bosltered each other’s business. Airport Kiddieland started out & maintained 8 rides: a small carousel, a rocketships ride (they went around in a circle & there was a lever I used to raise & lower the altitude of the circle path & they had guns on the front for the kids to shoot), boats (they went around in a circle on real water & had bells on the fronts the kids could ring with a little rope), a cars ride & a tanks(also with guns on the front to shoot) ride (both of which went around in a circle), a small ferris wheel, a small roller coaster, and the TRAIN. All of which I ran for the kids during the summer of 1966. I also helped maintain the rides & the train tracks. It was just like a miniature railroad with real tracks & ties & spikes!! There was also a small 9 hole miniature golf course in the train’s tracks front loop. In about 1965, the Kolba family added a bumper cars unit into the park. I have absolutely no pictures of Airport Kiddieland or the Airport Drive-In & wish that I did. (Anyone out there have any ??) Many many fond memories of Airport Kiddieland (and Dr. Khuri) as a child AND as a teenager entertaining a new generation of kids myself. Jim Macumber, Binghamton, NY
I seem to remember a ride colored red. Must have been the teacups.
I believe the amusement park closed sometime in the late 60’s-early 70’s. The building that served as the ticket and refreshment stand is still there, as are some train tracks laying in the overgrown grass. From what I’ve been able to gather, there was a small carousel, ferris wheel, tea cups, chair swing, and the train, as well as a miniature golf course.
I seem to very vaguely remember that there was a very small kiddieland amusement park near the Airport Drive-In. Does anyone know when this was closed down?
So sad… I had always assumed that the Airport hadn’t made enough money to stay open, not that a stubborn landlord had done it in. What a great vibe this drive-in had – lots of families out on lawnchairs and blankets at the front. My boyfriend at the time and I would bring in a pizza or chicken pasta salad made up in massive quantities and chow down. I had a 70 Caddy Sedan deVille, and the ramps were perfect to make this the very height of luxury viewing. Sometimes there were lots of beautiful classic cars lined up in the back. Nothing but good memories….