WFIE, Evansville IN’s News Leader, reported yesterday that the Tri-City Drive-In across the border near Beaver Dam KY might be showing movies again this summer. The Tri-City, a single-screen theater with room for 200 cars, opened in the mid-1950s and operated through the 2015 season.

Luke Burden bought the Tri-City and the indoor Mall Cinema in Hartford in March 2016, helped by a $50,000 loan from the Ohio County Economic Development Alliance. At the time, Burden said he would upgrade the indoor theater first, so I guess that makes it the Tri-City’s turn. Burden told WFIE he needs around $200,000 for all the work the site will need before it can open again. He even talked about building “the largest drive-in screen in the nation,” which gives me pause. Why would this cozy 200-car theater need such a huge screen? Was that bravado, naivete, or what?

Any talk of reviving a drive-in is good news, and any chance to embed a drive-in video is a good opportunity. From the apparent state of the concession stand and screen in the video, it’s remarkable how decent the place looked in this September 2015 Google Street View. I know that modern projection, bathroom, and kitchen equipment require serious cash, so I hope Mr. Burden installs all of that before he starts expanding the screen.

A man who wanted to build a two-screen drive-in near Crestwood KY has withdrawn his rezoning application after strong opposition led by its prospective next-door neighbor. The story was extensively reported by the Louisville Courier-Journal, and the video above is from WHAS, Louisville’s news leader.

Stephen Sauerbeck of La Grange KY wanted to buy an 80-acre site on Old La Grange Road from the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, then rezone 40 acres for the drive-in. Tom Nelson, who lives in a nearby “historic home” on 270 acres called the plan “preposterous” and successfully organized neighbors to block the application. The Courier-Journal wrote that Nelson said he “doesn’t object to the concept of a drive-in” but noted that the proposed site had too many problems.

Of course, this is classic Not-In-My-Back-Yard (NIMBY) talk. Everyone knows that something is of value to the community, but no one wants to rub elbows with it. On the other hand, when this story first surfaced a few weeks ago, I looked at the proposed site (via Google Street View), and the roads there really are pretty thin and rural.

Sauerbeck says he’s continuing to scout locations, and I hope he finds something that works. (Psst, try sites next to highways.) Meanwhile, let this be a reminder that anyone trying to start a drive-in had better make sure he’s got the neighbors on board.