Ocala Drive-In for sale, locals worried about what comes next
Katherine oversees editorial operations across all six brands. Before joining The Meridan Group, she spent 14 years at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she led the metro desk through its digital transformation. She holds a Master's in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School.
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Pulling up to the ticket booth at the Ocala Drive-In has always been about more than catching a movie. For many residents, it’s a piece of living history. But now, that history is up for sale — and the community is paying attention.The property has been listed since May 2025, though the news is only now spreading across social media. What has locals on edge: the listing does not guarantee the site will remain a drive-in once it sells.One of Florida’s last four drive-insThe Ocala Drive-In is one of just four drive-in theaters still operating in a state that once had more than 100. The listing describes the property as supporting “a wide range of potential commercial uses including, but not limited to, a storage facility, warehouse, retail or shopping center, multifamily apartments, or mixed-use development.”For Ocala resident and business owner Matthew Spata, that list of alternatives is a gut punch.“My fear is that it’s just going to get bulldozed and it’s going to be another space sav