BY Micheal D. Smith 
Northwest Johnson County Sun 
September 20th, 2000

The drive-in theater is a dying breed that's already extinct in Johnson County, but there's one just across the county line that is thriving. In fact, Johnson Countians comprise 40 percent of customers at Boulevard Drive-In, 1501 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas.

Longtime Johnson Countians will remember the Leawood State Line Drive-in near 135th and State Line, or Olathe's Twin Drive-in at 119th Street and 1-35. That nostalgia is still alive at the Boulevard: Carloads of viewers searching for the best vantage point to watch the show, speakers hanging from car windows, toddlers dressed in their pajamas, teens socializing outside their cars. 

And if owner/operator Wes Neal has anything to say about it, the Boulevard Drive-In will last for another 50 years. "Nobody has enough money to buy my theater!" he said with a passion. 

In business since June 30, 1950, the Boulevard's season runs from March through October and is open Friday through Sunday and every weekday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. "Attendance is generally low during the school year, so we cut back at the beginning and the end of the outdoor season to save money," Neal said. Throughout the season, the Boulevard, which is sometimes prone to flooding from nearby Turkey Creek, presents twin billings of generally first-run films. It has one screen and a 600-car capacity. 

According to www.drive-in.com as of March 11, 2000, had 80 drive-ins. However, only 12 of them were open and showing films. The obvious reasons include the advancement in presentation at indoor theaters and the explosion in VCR and DVD ownership However, land appreciation is another factor that Neal believes has hurt drive-ins. He said that when drive-ins began to decline, many owners sold out to the highest bidder because the land their drive-in sat on became so valuable it was more profitable to sell out than try to hang on. 

Neal, who bought the Boulevard in 1993, is particularly proud of his theater's sound which uses a digital theater system that broadcasts through Dolby stereo on FM radio. "Our system enhances the radio clarity and volume," he said. "As far as I know, you won't hear anything like it at any other drive-in in the country." Through his own polling data, Neal said that 40 percent of his patrons come from Johnson County, 40 percent from Wyandotte County and 20 percent from Missouri. 

"More people would probably come here from Johnson County, but no one can see the marquee from I-35 because of the trees blocking the view," Neal said. "Some don't know that it even exists." Still, the Boulevard's attendance has grown over the past five years. Neal attributed this to the Boulevard's quality including its presentation and sound, and his belief that "people get tired of sitting at home watching videos. 

Adult patrons are charged $6 while children under 11 get m free, a deal you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere m the evening hours when indoor theaters charge around $6.75 for adults and $4 for children ages 2 to 12. Despite increased attendance, Neal continues to hold a "Swap & Shop" every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting, from 6:30 am to 1 pm. "We certainly couldn't have survived without it 10 years ago," he said. Neal said the business could probably get by without it but it is a good revenue source.