Abilene's Town and Country Drive-In Switches to Digital Projectors
By: Victor Sotelo
Updated: February 20, 2013
It was last august when we told you the Town and Country Drive-In here in Abilene could be going dark because converting to digital projection was just too expensive. Now the community has spoken and the movie industry has taken notice an, along with updated movie equipment, there are a few surprises.
Sure, we will loose the flicker of the projector, which movie goers rarely hear anyway, but we'll gain much more when we go to the drive-in. Melisa Green, the owner of the Town and Country Drive-In says she has the community to thank. "The movie industry was able to see that we are a viable theatre and we needed to be saved. They have reached their hand out to help us and to help us with financing," says Green.
The new digital projectors are not in yet but soon will be and, along with it, a new sound system. Also, when the drive-in opens up they will offer much more than just movies. "For instance, if someone wanted to get engaged and have a proposal we could show it on the big screen. We have the capabilities for someone to rent out our facilities for a night for a private party and show their own personal movies!" Green tells us. She also said they were planning other surprises, "By the fall, to be able to open up to the public for free and show Monday Night Football on the big screen and just have our concessions open," a classic American past-time, but now with a modern twist.
The conversion cost the drive in $100,000 for each screen. They say they are still making improvements and need the communities support.
Sure, we will loose the flicker of the projector, which movie goers rarely hear anyway, but we'll gain much more when we go to the drive-in. Melisa Green, the owner of the Town and Country Drive-In says she has the community to thank. "The movie industry was able to see that we are a viable theatre and we needed to be saved. They have reached their hand out to help us and to help us with financing," says Green.
The new digital projectors are not in yet but soon will be and, along with it, a new sound system. Also, when the drive-in opens up they will offer much more than just movies. "For instance, if someone wanted to get engaged and have a proposal we could show it on the big screen. We have the capabilities for someone to rent out our facilities for a night for a private party and show their own personal movies!" Green tells us. She also said they were planning other surprises, "By the fall, to be able to open up to the public for free and show Monday Night Football on the big screen and just have our concessions open," a classic American past-time, but now with a modern twist.
The conversion cost the drive in $100,000 for each screen. They say they are still making improvements and need the communities support.
