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STATISTICS

The following statistics are compiled from a variety of resources, including personal visits and research, telephone recordings, websites, UDITOA member information, and on-line movie listings.  Because of the constant flux of numbers (closings, addition of screens, change in ownership, etc.) sometimes, despite best efforts, a theatre will be erroneously tallied as operating (or not operating) that season. 

Number of Operational, permanently constructed, commercially operated US Drive-Ins by State/Territory
  (as of July 31, 2007)

These statistics are updated as UDITOA learns of changes in drive-ins.

For stats from July 2005, click here
For stats from January 2006, click here
For stats from August 2006, click here
 

  
State Sites Screens   State Sites Screens
Alabama 11 17   Nebraska 3 3
Alaska 0 0   Nevada 2 9
Arizona 4 20   New Hampshire 3 7
Arkansas 3 3   New Jersey 1 1
California 19 47   New Mexico  2  4
Colorado 9 15   New York 30 53
Connecticut 2 4   North Carolina  7 8
Delaware 1 1   North Dakota 1 1
Florida 8 28   Ohio 34 50
Georgia 6 14   Oklahoma 5 6
Hawaii 0 0   Oregon 4 4
Idaho 10 12   Pennsylvania 35 56
Illinois 13 17   Puerto Rico 1 1
Indiana 21 35   Rhode Island 1 3
Iowa 4 4   South Carolina 2 4
Kansas 7 8   South Dakota 6
Kentucky 12 15   Tennessee 15 22
Louisiana 0 0   Texas 15 24
Maine 5 6   Utah 6 14
Maryland 1 1   Vermont 2 5
Massachusetts 4 7   Virginia 8 9
Michigan 9 21   Washington 7 14
Minnesota 6 10   West Virginia 8 8
Mississippi 2 2   Wisconsin 9 10
Missouri 13 19   Wyoming 1 1
Montana 5 7        
        TOTALS 383 636

 

PAST STATS & THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY

 

YEAR

SITES

SCREENS

July 31, 2007

383

636

July 27, 2006

397

650

July 26, 2005

402

649

July 2004

403

641

July 2003

401

635

summer 2002

433

667

summer 2001

441

684

summer 2000

443

684

summer 1999

447

684


Industry resources list the high figure for drive-ins as 4063 in 1958. The 1978-1988 time period was particularly hard on the industry, with over 1000 screen closings. Closings were commonly due to land value increases that made selling for redevelopment attractive financially, aging owners who wished to retire, difficulty obtaining first run product during the time period, and increasing entertainment options (video, multiplexes, other activities).

But by the 1990s, new drive-ins were being built and re-openings were becoming more common. The numbers have leveled off from their rapid drop in the 1980s. Some owners who want to retire now are seeking someone to purchase it to keep it as a drive-in instead of selling the property for development. Though drive-in numbers will never be as high as they were in the 1950s, the industry seems to be on an upswing.      


Click here for a list of NEW BUILDS AND RE-OPENED DRIVE-INS

Statistics compiled by the UDITOA Website and Industry Data Committee.

This page last updated 12/2/2007

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