Algiers Drive-In
34850 Warren Road,
Westland,
MI
48185
34850 Warren Road,
Westland,
MI
48185
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Actual closing date is January 22, 1985 with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Dune” in Screen 1 and “Avenging Angel” and “Cotton Club” in Screen 2.
Also opened with “Sea devils”.
August 15th, 1956 grand opening ad in photo section.
Approx. address for this drive-in was 34850 Warren Rd.
Many photos here:
http://tinyurl.com/6h9x62
This theater was a single screen theater until 1982 when a second screen was added. There were plans to add a third screen that were never followed up on. The drive in was successful until the it closed in 1985. However as was the case with most drive ins the Algiers was originally built out in the country and the suburbs gradually expanded around it. As the area built up, property taxes also increased until the taxes on the 20+ acres that the drive in occupied were more than the net income the theater generated.
The Algiers Drive In was not the first drive in built by the Wayne Amusement Company. That honor goes to the Wayne Drive In, which opened in 1949. Also, the screen wasn’t 216'; it was 120' wide and from the ground to the top of the screen tower it was 80' high with the actual screen height of 60'. Lastly, the Quo Vadis was developed mostly on the land that the exit driveway for the drive occupied. A few spaces were lost on the western ends of the ramps for the theater also, but the drive in added 7 ramps in the back of the field to make up for the loss.
It could have 1500 cars and 2 screens,
1956 – opened
1985 – closed
1985 – torn down
Pictures:
http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/mialgi1.jpg
http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/mialgi2.jpg
I am sure it was not just 1 screen.