"During a pandemic that upended lives, broke routines, and mothballed most forms of in-person activities, a funny thing happened in the entertainment business: The drive-in theater saved the cinema. But while it might have been dismissed as another anomaly in a year full of unusual economic blips, the renewed interest in drive-in theaters looks like it's here to stay.
Last year, from late-March through mid-August, drive-ins generated 85% of North American box office revenue (and some weeks contributed north of 95%), according to Comscore data provided to CNN Business. During that same period in 2019, drive-ins accounted for just 2.9% of box office revenue.
And although films and people have started to return to brick-and-mortar cinemas (albeit at far lower levels than before), drive-ins are showing that they have staying power. Through the first 30 weeks of 2021, they're still gobbling up a greater share of box office revenue than they did pre-pandemic: averaging 6.2% of weekend box office dollars this year versus nearly 1.9% for the first 30 weeks of 2019, Comscore data show....
....In Loudon County, Tennessee, a new arrival features a modern twist that its operator hopes could serve as the future of the concept.
The centerpiece of the LoCo Drive-In is a 35-by-63-foot Samsung video board, a jumbotron with the capabilities of allowing for both daytime and nighttime showings of movies, live sports and other events.
"It's an idea I've had in my head for 25 years," Gordon Whitener, owner of Loudon Entertainment LLC, said in an interview with CNN Business. "While [the Covid-19 pandemic] didn't drive it, it certainly motivated me to get on with it."
His plan is to erect more of the video board drive-ins across the country -- perhaps another 10 to 15 in the next five to 10 years...."
https://www.azfamily.com/news/us_world_n...GeRXUjmxP0
Last year, from late-March through mid-August, drive-ins generated 85% of North American box office revenue (and some weeks contributed north of 95%), according to Comscore data provided to CNN Business. During that same period in 2019, drive-ins accounted for just 2.9% of box office revenue.
And although films and people have started to return to brick-and-mortar cinemas (albeit at far lower levels than before), drive-ins are showing that they have staying power. Through the first 30 weeks of 2021, they're still gobbling up a greater share of box office revenue than they did pre-pandemic: averaging 6.2% of weekend box office dollars this year versus nearly 1.9% for the first 30 weeks of 2019, Comscore data show....
....In Loudon County, Tennessee, a new arrival features a modern twist that its operator hopes could serve as the future of the concept.
The centerpiece of the LoCo Drive-In is a 35-by-63-foot Samsung video board, a jumbotron with the capabilities of allowing for both daytime and nighttime showings of movies, live sports and other events.
"It's an idea I've had in my head for 25 years," Gordon Whitener, owner of Loudon Entertainment LLC, said in an interview with CNN Business. "While [the Covid-19 pandemic] didn't drive it, it certainly motivated me to get on with it."
His plan is to erect more of the video board drive-ins across the country -- perhaps another 10 to 15 in the next five to 10 years...."
https://www.azfamily.com/news/us_world_n...GeRXUjmxP0