Vail Mills Drive-In
3757 Route 30 and Black Street,
Vail Mills,
NY
12025
3757 Route 30 and Black Street,
Vail Mills,
NY
12025
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Located on Route 30 between Broadalbin and Amsterdam, NY. The Vail Mills Drive-In was opened on May 29, 1948 with Dennis Morgan in “Cheyenne”. It was operated by Louis Goldstein. When I was growing up were frequented this and the El Rancho Drive-In in Palatine Bridge. The owners of the Ozone 29 Drive-In tried twice in vain to purchase and resurrect this drive-in. The first time backing out of the deal when they were told on the day they were closing sale, that they owned up to ten feet of the concession stand, the rest of the land was sold to a doctor who had his office on the adjacent land. Years later he decided he could make a decent size drive-in out of the land that was left and he tried to purchase again, this time only to be beaten to the deal by a housing developer.
The Vail Mills Drive-In was closed in 1989. The only thing left of the drive-in the last I know, was the concession stand, of which the roof has caved in, and the marquee which has been restored and was being used to sell modular homes. I have heard that when this drive-in opened it had a miniature train that went around the outer edge of the lot. I also remember the playground which had swings, and those things with springs underneath. I heard that when it closed the screen was converted into a shed. It was not the original screen from 1947, which was a wooden tower screen, like the El Rancho Drive-In, which burned down not long after the theatre opened. I will research more and post up dates as time permits.
Contributed by
Kris Ackerman
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More information herefrom NY Drive-Ins
Arial photo here: http://www.newyorkdriveins.com/mohawkvalleyregion/vailmills/vailmillsaerial1995.jpg
Article on original screen fire: http://www.newyorkdriveins.com/mohawkvalleyregion/vailmills/vailmillsfire1950.gif
Opened with “Cheyenne”. 700 cars. Closed in 1989. Snack bar used as a storage facility. The rest of the site is Paradise Mobile Homes. The marquee is still there.
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1958: “Lightning struck the projection booth and screen at Lamont’s Vail Mills Drive-In, between Amsterdam and Gloversville, during a recent Saturday evening show … Harry Witzke, projectionist, was unharmed and continued the showing.”