An 80-year-old drive-in theater in Boone County has closed after the property was sold.
M.E.L.S. at the Starlite Drive-In at 8721 N. State Road 39 in Mechanicsburg, near Thorntown, announced the closure over the weekend on its Facebook page. The sale came before the drive-in was able to start its 2026 season. The theater last showed movies in late October.
The drive-in operator did not identify the buyer of the property and said on Facebook that it would let the new owner announce future plans. It said the new owner won’t run a business on the property and doesn’t have plans for housing or apartments to be developed on the site. Additionally, the sale has nothing to do with a data center or developments at the LEAP Lebanon Innovation District, the Facebook post said.
Jennifer Lasley, Boone County assessor, said she hasn’t yet received a transfer notice on the property.
The news came as a surprise to customers after the company posted on Facebook on Feb. 26 that its was preparing for the 2026 season and planned to offer early-bird tickets starting March 1.
The drive-in operator could not be reached for further comment.
The 300-car-capacity drive-in opened in 1946 as the Outdoor Drive-in and operated under several names over the years, including Lebanon-Frankfort Drive-In, Mechanicsburg Drive-In and Starlite Drive-In. It is believed the M.E.L.S. part of the name was added when it was co-owned by Melanie Roth in the 1990s. The screen on the property was relocated in the 1970s after a tornado hit the property.
According to several sources, there are fewer than 20 drive-in theaters left in Indiana.
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved.