Twin Drive-In, one of Kansas City’s last remaining drive-in theaters, will close after 60 years | KCUR

One of the last remaining drive-in theaters in the Kansas City area will close permanently at the end of this month.

Twin Drive-In Announced in Independence, Missouri Facebook It has just a few more screenings left before it closes for good on November 17th. “While we are deeply disappointed, we want to thank our loyal guests for unforgettable nights under the stars,” the post reads.

Twin Drive-In with two screens, first opened in 1965it is currently managed by B&B Theaters, a nationwide chain based in Liberty, Missouri. B&B spokesman Paul Farnsworth said property owners had increased their rents by 350% and that was not sustainable.

Farnsworth believes the property owners want to redevelop the land.

“It was a bit of a heartbreak,” Farnsworth said. “We’ve been there a long time, and the property and drive-ins mean a lot to the fabric of B&B Theaters in general, and I know it means a lot to the community, too.”

The theatre’s Facebook post garnered hundreds of comments mourning the closing.

“How sad,” one commenter wrote. “Going to Twin was a family treat growing up, and I did it with my family.”

“So sad, I’ve spent so many nights under the stars here,” said another. “From the 70s to today. “He will be missed.”

Farnsworth said the theater has done well this season. He said it’s not a lack of interest that’s dooming drive-in theaters, but rather the cost of operating a theater with just one or two screens.

outdoor movies a increasing popularity because they were a safe entertainment option and could continue to work during quarantine. Twin Drive-In was the same; For a time, this was the only theater the B&B kept open, Farnsworth said.

“It was a really powerful thing that reminded a lot of people of the escapism that movies can bring,” Farnsworth said. “This was a way for them to still enjoy this entertainment as a family during a strange and unprecedented time.”

For its final showings, Twin Drive-In will air “Goonies,” “Jurassic Park,” “Grease” and “Dirty Dancing” the weekend of Nov. 8-10. The final weekend, Nov. 15-17, will feature “Elf” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

The Twin’s absence will leave only one more drive-in open in the area: Boulevard Drive-in Theater In Kansas City, Kansas. The Boulevard was already closed for the season but is scheduled to reopen in April 2025.

There are currently fewer than 300 drive-ins nationwide; four of them are in Kansas and nine are in Missouri.