Save the Sky-Vue

The weeds are overgrown. The entrance way needs a little work and the white large movie screen hasn’t been in electric lights in years, but the Sky-Vue Drive-In movie theater is still around.

It’s been a fixture in the Lamesa landscape since it opened in 1948. It once had the capacity to accommodate 583 cars and seating for 320 walk-in patrons.

It continued showing night-time movies until a fire in the concession stand in November 2015 permanently shut it down.

It may not be around for very much longer.

The six acres the drive-in sits on at 3015 S. Dallas Ave. is now subject to be taken over through eminent domain. An electrical provider apparently needs the property for a power grid in the area.

The property is currently owned by three sisters.

Ed and Clara Noret gave the land to their three granddaughters. It was their son, Skeet and his wife, Sarah, who utilized the property to establish the Sky-Vue Drive-In theater almost eight decades ago.

Their daughters are trying to save it - at least the drive-in’s screen, marquee, ticket booth, the playground equipment and whatever is salvageable from being lost forever.

“We could not stop our land from being eminent domain and taken from us. We’re going to have to move everything off of that land or they are going to just destroy it and junk it,” said co-owner Nancy Noret Moore of San Marcos. “Our grandparents (Ed and Clara Noret) gave us that land when we were very young girls and we thought we would never sell it.”

“They say they need all of that land. I’m not sure what they are going to be doing with it.”

Moore, along with her sister and fellow property owner Cindy Noret Ware of Los Angeles, Calif., hope the remnants of the drive-in theater’s past can be relocated and the theater re-opened as a non-profit, much like Movieland Theater, in a new area. A third sister, Linda Noret Smith of Dallas, owns part of the land, but not the business’ physical assets like the screen, ticket booth and marque.

Their parents also built and operated Movieland Theater before donating it to the city. Movieland’s staff and volunteers run it as the state’s only non-profit theater.

Sky-Vue’s screen can be used again in showing outdoor films. The marque can find a new purpose in advertising movies and next year’s Jubilee reunion of Lamesa High School graduates next summer or even rented out.

“Anything that would be of value at another location. So we feel like it would be another amenity for the city and for the residents of the city that they would have another entertainment choice,” Moore said.

They may have only until August to make the move.

“Asking all of us to come together seeing if we can get this out and get the drive-in open at another location,” Moore said. “It’s going to take all of us. We need lots of thought.”

They’ve informed the public on the “ Lamesa Past, Present and Future” Facebook page about their idea of saving at least a part of the Sky-Vue and relocating to a new spot.

“We’re looking to see what we can come up with as far as land that might be utilized. We’re just looking at all possibilities right now,” Moore said. “We appreciate the good thoughts of all the good citizens that have gone to school here and that care about the Sky-Vue.”

They plan on being in town this week to see about possibly talking to city officials, Movieland representatives, Weaver Foundation officials, Lamesa Area Chamber of Commerce staff or anyone who can help raise the Sky-Vue from its 7.5 year slumber.

“The Sky-Vue, people talk about it being the heart of Lamesa,” Moore said. “We had a such a good response of people wanting it, the drive-in, to continue somewhere. We really appreciate all of that support.”

Sky-Vue wasn’t just a place where movies were shown. It was famous for the chihuahua sandwiches sold there in the concession stand. It’s where Buddy Holly sang and Don Walser, a famous yodler from Austin, got his start to a successful music career. He even wrote a song about the Sky-Vue. Singer/songwriter John Denver, while a student studying architecture at Texas Tech University, showcased his talents there.

“This is a heritage place with so much history and showmanship. We had talent shows on the weekend between a double feature. We had horses there for children to ride. We had poor boy night, it was half priced,” Moore said. “It’s a legend. It’s the heartbeat of Lamesa.

“We want to carry on the tradition. We care about it and hopefully we can get this figured out.”

Texas at one time had more drive-in theaters than any other state. When drivein theaters were at their peak in popularity, there were 4,000 drive-ins in the United States. By the 1950’s, Texas was home to over 400 of them. There are reportedly only 20 remaining in the state, according to an online article.