The city of Wichita and the owner of the Starlite Drive-In have come to an agreement on a loan restructuring plan.
The Starlite closed in October 2018 but Blake Smith from Tulsa purchased the property and reopened for the 2019 season. The city invested $200 thousand as a low-interest loan to Smith to purchase 2 new movie projectors. Smith says the facility is doing good but there have been challenges along the way including the pandemic, Hollywood strikes and proliferation of streaming services. Those factors have led to an attendance drop at the Drive-In. To counter that, Smith says they will raise prices this season.
Under the new agreement, Smith will pay the city $50,000 upfront and will repay the remaining $150 thousand over the next 6 years.
The Starlite Drive-In plans to open up for the 2025 season on February 14.