Boxoffice-December.02.1950

PART in
A Manual of
Drive-ln
Design and Operation
by GEORGE M. PETERSEN
Choosing the Proper Drive-ln
Site Can
Build
Business at the Boxoffice
Despite the current ban on drive-in construction we will continue
to present Mr. Petersen's monthly series. Even at this time
they can be of great service to the showman who is planning to
build at a loter date.
Of current significance is the fact that much informotion contained
in each installment can be of great value in up-grading the
facilities of existing drive-ins. Readers concerned with the latter
qualification will be interested in the author's comments on operations
under the NPA restrictions which appears on page 43.
Sq. Feet
TABLE CONVERTING SQUARE FEET TO ACRES
X*FTER THE EXHIBITOR has determined the approximate capacity
for his drive-in theatre, the next step is to locate a site
for the project that will come close to meeting his requirements.
Few sites will be found that will have all of the desirable features
listed below, so, provided more than one site is available,
the exhibitor must evaluate the various existing features for and
against each site.
Contrary to general opinion, a much better land deal can
be made by the exhibitor retaining the services of an experienced,
honest realtor rather than by one who handles the transaction
himself. The commission is paid by the seller anyway and the
realtor can not only save the exhibitor considerable time, but
can usually negotiate a better deal because of his more intimate
knowledge of the value of the property in question and, frequently,
because of friendship with the seller.
The important features to be considered when selecting a
site are as follows:
1. Obtaining sufficient size.
2. Automobiles should be parked facing in a westerly direction.
3. General slope of land
4. Natural aids to drainage.
5. Type of highways available to sue.
6. Proximity of railroad crossings.
7. Number of traffic lights to be passed.
8. "Distance from center of potential patronage area
9. Surrounding neighborhood.
10. Power supply available to site.
11. Public utilities available to site
12. Zoning for drive-in theatres.
SIZE OF SITE
The average prospective drive-in exhibitor shows a woeful
lack of understanding of the dimensions of land required for
these operations. The following table was prepared to provide
him with a quick resume of various factors. Of course, oddshaped
and iiTPsular-shappd plots are nfton developed into sue-