Grab your popcorn

knoxnews.com-After years of stagnation, drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback. Movie fans will get to experience one in Loudon this summer.

The LoCo Drive-In, a project from The Whitener Company and Loudon Entertainment LLC, will bring drive-in theaters into the 21st Century when it opens.

The drive-in's 35-foot by 63-foot LED video board screen, dubbed the "LoCo Tron," is capable of showing films at any time of day, setting it apart from most drive-in theaters, which can only operate at night. The electronic screen streams video just like a television would, meaning it doesn't have to rely on darkness for a clear picture.

"There's no facility that we know of like this right now in the U.S... that's what Hollywood is telling us," Gordon Whitener, founder and CEO of the Whitener Company, told Knox News in an exclusive interview Wednesday. "This will be truly unique... the drive-in will be the core, but we'll have concerts, car shows, boat shows and more."

The LoCo Drive-In is expected to to host events from Thursday-Sunday after its planned mid-summer opening.

Though the drive-in's future location at 455 Centre Park Dr. is currently an empty field, construction began last week on the property, located off Highway 72. The drive-in is focusing on serving the comminutes of Loudon, Lenoir City, Sweetwater, Farragut, Knoxville and Oak Ridge, as they are all within a 25-mile radius of the location.

The drive-in's screen will be accompanied by a concessions stand, bathrooms and space for local food trucks. The space is expected to hold about 400 cars.

While drive-in theaters have been around for decades, they saw a surge in popularity last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Whitener noted that the pandemic did have an influence on the decision to open The LoCo Drive-In, it has been something he has wanted to do for years.

"I've had this idea for over 25 years," Whitener said. "I've just always loved the nostalgia of the drive-in.... even though things have begun opening back up (after COVID), I think people have an appreciation for doing things with their family and doing things outdoors."

Whitener is no stranger to the movie business, having secured funding for and produced Burt Reynolds' last film, "The Last Movie Star," in 2017. Just like in that film, Whitener wants LoCo Drive-In to be full of Tennessee flair. He's planning to sell Goo Goo Clusters, Moon Pies and more.

"I wanted to use Tennessee companies (to build it)," he said. "We've spent a lot of time in Loudon in the past eight years. It's a great community, and, with it sitting between Knoxville and Chattanooga, it felt like the perfect place to be."

Whitener plans to show first-run films, classics, sports games and even church services.

"I have a very romantic feeling towards the drive-in theater... it was a big part of my family growing up," Whitener said. "That is at the root of LoCo Drive-In, but all of the other things we are doing are what make it unique."

The Whitener Company is based in Knoxville.