The longevity of a historic Lehighton landmark is in jeopardy.

For some, it’s a weekend attraction, but to others, it’s a second home.

The land which the Mahoning Drive-in Theatre occupies has been optioned by the landowner to Greenskies Clean Energy LLC, a renewable energy company headquartered in Connecticut.

According to a public notice, the company plans to install a solar generation field in the area. Greenskies applied for a variance - one of the first challenges of the process to move forward with the solar project. The drive-in venue would be demolished.

Mark Nelson, general manager of the drive-in, said Mahoning has never owned the property during its more than 70-year existence.

“A gentleman has leased the businesses on sort of a handshake deal from the landowner,” Nelson said.

“We sort of always had that agreement. Every year, we pay a certain amount of money to lease it. The thing was always up in the air - that eventually when it was ready to sell, that we’d have the chance to buy it.”

Mahoning Township said the best way to be heard is to come to a meeting and speak during the public comment period.

“There’s been nothing further. A lot of citizens have interest in the drive-in and are reaching out to the township,” said Natalie Haggerty, township secretary and treasurer. “Practice and procedure are always to place everything in writing, we’ll make sure it gets to the board - and/or to attend a meeting.”

Right now, the situation is the hands of the zoning hearing board of Mahoning Township. A township zoning meeting regarding the situation was continued earlier this month and is now scheduled for Aug. 3 at 7 p.m.

“We don’t have a problem with Greenskies,” Nelson said. “I’m not painting them as a villain. It’s easy to do that, but that’s not the case. They legally bought a piece of land that was legally for sale from the legal owner. They probably have no idea what we are, they probably just thought it was an old drive-in and to most people drive-ins are a thing of the past.”

The drive-in is planning a rally for Aug. 2 - the day before the hearing - and is inviting all media and supporters to attend.

The following day, supporters are set to meet at the drive-in during the afternoon, who plan to caravan together to the meeting at 6 p.m.

“The way I understand it, which may not be totally accurate, the solar company has a year or a year-and-a-half to do something with the land - to jump through all the hoops they need to turn it into a solar farm,” Nelson said.

“If at the end of whatever period of time the option is for, they don’t do (anything to the property) by choice or due to stumbling blocks, the land reverts back to the longtime owner who can either extend the option to Greenskies, or perhaps would sell it to us.”

Falling in love is easy

Nelson was simply a movie fan, just like many of the patrons he now helps provide entertainment to regularly. He stumbled upon the drive-in theater in 2014 and began attending regularly the following year.

“It was probably 2016-17 when I started volunteering and I started as general manager this season,” said Nelson, who resides in New York. “When we started, it was all volunteers. … a majority of the staff lives within an hour of the theater.”

Throughout Nelson’s fan-to-manager career path, he’s traveled from his home in New York to Lehighton multiple times per week.

“People could say it’s just a drive-in, it’s really become a domestic, and in many ways, an international destination from many people. This weekend, I personally know friends from Kentucky coming in.”

Nelson said he knows a Mahoning “regular” who spent over $46,000 over the past couple of years in the Lehighton area, while enjoying weekends at the drive-in. There are patrons who come from as far as Utah and Washington multiple times per season, and even Canadians who cross the border to spend time in Carbon County, solely for the Mahoning Drive-In.

“We fill the hotels and restaurants locally,” said Nelson. “It has to be in the millions (of dollars) that comes in (to the community) during April-October from us every year. I don’t know if a lot of the locals understand that.”

Mike Kenny resides in Westfield, New Jersey, but he remembers the exact date of his first Mahoning Drive-In experience. July 30, 2016.

He hasn’t stopped attending regularly ever since.

“We’re talking several times a week I’ll make a 200-mile round trip. My wife comes as often as she can, too. The place is amazing, it’s carrying the torch for 35 mm exhibition. … It’s so important to see film projected, it’s a magic trick. What we’re watching now on digital, that’s not the illusion of life,” Kenny said.

“I’m 33 years old and I’ve met some of the best friends I’ve ever had at this field in rural Pennsylvania. It builds a community that can’t be replaced. I think having the threat as something like a solar field, as noble as it may be - and as environmentally friendly as it may be, you have to weigh what cost is that coming? It’s going to destroy a community and a thriving a business that supports the local economy. … I don’t even want to tell you how much money I spent at the local hotels there - but it’s all worth it once you get there.”

J.T. Mills, who also works elsewhere full time, puts his heart and soul into his job at Mahoning as production designer and set decorator. He has worked at the drive-in since 2015.

“The drive-in has consumed my spring, summer and fall for seven years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way because of how much the theater, and the people who come there mean to me,” Mills said.

“I’ve been allowed to express my creativity and passion for movies there, and it has benefited the business by turning our screenings into full-fledged events. It’s a mutual relationship I want to see continue, because it’s an extension of who I naturally am - a film buff, and that goes for pretty much everyone else who works and volunteers there.”

A hidden gem of northeastern Pennsylvania, the drive-in was built in 1948 and opened for business in 1949. It’s not just any ordinary drive-in, the Mahoning puts on shows, cosplays, vendor events and much more - a true multidimensional venue.

Sheila McArdle and her boyfriend frequently travel two and a half hours from Westchester, New York, to attend Mahoning Drive-in events such as Zombiefest.

“It’s this feeling that when you go there, you’re going to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience, no matter how many times you go there. Every time you go there, it’s special and different from the last time you went,” said McArdle.

“It’s because of the programming they do, showing films nobody can get ahold of. You never know which of your friends are going to be there, or which celebrities are going to show up.”

Derek Steidle, a local who frequents the drive-in, echoed everyone else’s thoughts.

“The Mahoning Drive-In is a piece of history that for 72 years has provided an endless amount of memories for thousands. It provides a gathering place where you can forget about life’s troubles for a few hours, where you can relax with family and friends, and take a trip back in time,” he said. “To this day, it continues to draw large, sometimes sellout crowds with its themed weekend and weekday shows, many patrons from out of state, and even a few from out of the country, who would otherwise never visit Lehighton and help support local businesses.”

Social media developments

Mahoning Drive-In personnel started a Facebook page that can be found @savethemahoning, which will feature up-to-date information regarding the situation and have also posted information on the drive-in’s website.

“We’re not against solar. We’re not saying we don’t want solar. Our whole thing is that we don’t want it on the land that the Mahoning sits upon,” Nelson said.

“We’re stressing we don’t want people to be rude. We don’t want people to be negative in any way, we just want everyone’s voice to come together and to let the town and this company know what this place means to people. Almost more importantly, how much money we bring into the area.”

There may be a happy ending to this nonfiction film that’s playing right now in rural Carbon County. Only time will tell how the final script will be written, but a statement was made by Greenskies on its Twitter account (@GreenSkiesSolar) late Wednesday afternoon.

“When Greenskies first discussed leasing the @MahoningDIT property from the landowner more than six months ago, we were not aware of the cultural significance and nostalgic value the theater represented,” the post said.

“We now recognize the importance of the @MahoningDIT to the community of Lehighton and film enthusiasts far and wide. We are engaging with the theater operator and the landowner to resolve the concerns of all the parties involved.”

Jeff Hintzke, vice president of Policy and New Markets for Greenskies, also told media sources this week, “Given all of the feedback and in some considerations, we call it backlash, we’re kind of re-evaluating whether this is the appropriate site for this.”