Sky View Drive-In
5361 N. 72nd Street,
Omaha,
NE
68104
5361 N. 72nd Street,
Omaha,
NE
68104
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Don’t think I seen an uphill drive-in entrance road before?
Today, nothing remains of the drive-in. You would never know it was there.
Opening date: August 28th, 1954
The April 3, 1961 issue of Boxoffice had a note from Sky View manager Jim Schlatter about staying open “all this past winter”. Schlatter said that even with a small crew, his concession did better on several winter nights than on nights the summer before.
The last business there is a golf ball driving range. Since I don’t golf, I only can assume it is still open.
Is there anything on the drive-in site now?
This site does not have broadcasting towers. The towers are across the street. There are four towers. Three of them were installed in a vertical line in 1966. One was installed in 1989. The center tower of the first three collapsed at night on 04 July, 2003; they were in the process of adding HD antenna equipment at that time. A new tower was installed just east of it.
Site is now possibly some broadcasting towers?
In the 70’s my parents took me to the drive in every Saturday night. Sometimes the Golden Spike, some times 76th & dodge but more often than not we went to Sky View. Some of the movies caught my attention but mostly they had the best play ground. My Brother and I would play on the little merry go round and the swings. After it got dark we would still run around the play ground or go to the seating area on top of the concession stand that had ample seating and speakers to watch the movie. Any of you who went there during that time likely seen us, my dad always took his Winnebago and parked near the back so he didn’t block other people’s way. That way we also had a place to crash since we often didn’t leave until after 2:00AM.
My Sister use to work at Sky View
July 1979 photo added, photo credit Jim Burnett-Omaha World-Herald via the below Hemmings Motor News link.
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/07/07/omaha-nebraska-1979-2/
Often on weekends the line of cars waiting to get in would exceed the length of the access road and back up traffic on northbound 72nd street. However, most of this traffic was just going to the drive-in anyway. My family and I were some of the last customers at this drive-in in the late ‘80s, probably 87 or 88. We were there to see Transformers (the feature length cartoon). About halfway through the movie, the projector broke down or something and we all had to leave early. Just weeks later we drove by and noticed it was shut down. Today, it is the only one in the Omaha Metro Area in which the land still sits and has not been redeveloped. Apparently, it was reopened in the mid-nineties, not as a drive-in but as a driving range for golfers.
On Sky View’s opening night in 1954, nearly 7,000 people in more than 1,100 cars geared up for the flicks. It even stayed popular into the colder months. Thanks to those in-car electric heaters at no extra charge.
Does anyone have a photo of the whole marque sign? Thanks
By the late 70s it had become pretty run-down. But still have fond memories of the horror movies I saw there in my youth with my dad and brother. I remember turning away from The Amityville Horror on opening night due to the mile long line of traffic trying to get into the Skyview.
Approx. address for Sky-View/Sunset drive-in was 5361 N 72nd St, Omaha, Nebraska 68104. The entrance was at the city limits near the golf course.
Theater Houses ‘Round Town Omaha World-Herald (NE) – Sunday, June 16, 1985
“Skyview
72nd Street and Hartman Avenue, 571 – 0206. One screen. March through December. Tickets are $3.50 per person; children younger than 12 free except for Disney films and other special engagements. Two shows on weekdays, three or more on weekends."
A drive-in, in Omaha, opened in December?!
THANK YOU! I was racking my brain… Back in the late 70s, my brothers were driven all over Omaha for soccer games, and I remember seeing the remnants of the sign from the intersection of 72nd and Crown Point Avenue as we traveled to and from Roncalli High School.
I believe there was some lettering still on the marquee. An abandoned drive-in held some mystique to my young mind.
Naughtius: The theater at 20th and Farnam is the former Paramount, known as the Astro from 1962 until it closed as a movie theater, and now restored and reopened as the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center.
Yeah… I Grew Up In Aux Maha and while there WAS a “Sunset Speedway” out on The Blair High Road, The GIANT [And ONLY] Drive-In on North 72nd, As Others have noted, was TheSkyView…
You Entered From 72nd, Driving [North] UP a Fairly Long Access Road…
On Another Note, I’ve been Racking My Brain Trying To Remember What Movie Theater was on the SW Corner of… of… 20th? & Farnam… 3 or 4 Blocks EAST of The “Muse”…
Anybody?
rloeffler is correct. This drive-in was called the Sky-View, not the Sunset.
Groundbreaking for the drive-in project at 72nd and Hartman Avenue was to take place soon, according to an item in Boxoffice of May 8, 1954. Plans for the 1100-car facility had been drawn by Colorado Springs architect Deitz Lusk, Jr..
Boxoffice of August 28, 1954, said that the Sky-View Drive-In had opened the previous week. Owner-operators were Ralph Blank and William Miskell.
Thanks rioeffler.
The drive-in at 7200 Hartman Ave. was called the Sky-View, not the Sunset. It opened in Aug. 1954. It had a capacity of 410 cars.
Thanks Mike.
In 1956 Omaha had 5 Drive-ins. Sunset Drive-in had either closed are wasn’t built yet. It wasn’t inclued in the five,unless of a name change.