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Coyote Drive-In in Fort Worth Is Closing: Final Night Set for September 7, 2026

Coyote Drive-In in Fort Worth Is Closing After 14 Years

One of Fort Worth's most distinctive movie-going experiences is coming to an end.

Coyote Drive-In in Fort Worth will permanently close following its final night on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026.


The closure was announced August 17 and has since been confirmed by multiple North Texas news organizations, including CBS Texas and WFAA.


For families, couples and movie fans who have spent evenings watching films beneath the Fort Worth skyline, the news marks the end of a local entertainment destination that survived enormous changes in the movie industry, including the COVID-19 pandemic.


But Coyote Drive-In isn't simply shutting down because people stopped going to drive-in movies.


The property itself is needed for the next stage of the Panther Island project.

And that story stretches back to the original terms under which Coyote operated on the site.


When Is Coyote Drive-In Closing?

The answer is now confirmed:

Monday, September 7, 2026


That is Labor Day and is scheduled to be the final night of operation for Coyote Drive-In Fort Worth.


The theater is encouraging guests to visit before the final night for one last opportunity to experience a movie under the stars.


The drive-in is located at:

Coyote Drive-In

223 NE 4th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76164



Why Is Coyote Drive-In Closing?

This is the most important part of the story because the closure isn't simply a case of a movie theater going out of business.


According to Coyote Drive-In's announcement, the closure is tied directly to progress on the Trinity River Vision/Panther Island project.


Coyote operated on property controlled by the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD).


Under the terms of the drive-in's original lease, the agreement was expected to conclude when TRWD was ready to begin construction of two new canals and a three-acre park on the property.


That point has now arrived.

With the Panther Island project expected to reach that construction milestone this fall,


TRWD exercised its contractual right to terminate the lease.

In other words:

Coyote Drive-In is closing because the land is moving into the next phase of the long-planned Panther Island redevelopment.


What Is Being Built Where Coyote Drive-In Is Now?

The property is connected to the much larger transformation of Panther Island, the massive redevelopment and flood-control project immediately north of downtown Fort Worth.


For Coyote's specific property, the theater's announcement identifies two pieces of upcoming infrastructure:

Two new canals

and

A three-acre park.


This is significant because water infrastructure is fundamental to the long-term Panther Island plan.


The redevelopment is intended to dramatically transform this portion of Fort Worth over time, with new waterways and public spaces helping reshape what is currently largely industrial and underdeveloped land.


For Coyote Drive-In, however, that transformation means the land can no longer continue functioning as a drive-in theater.


Was the Coyote Drive-In Closure Unexpected?

The timing may feel sudden to customers, but the eventual loss of the property appears to have been anticipated in Coyote's lease from the beginning.

The drive-in's announcement specifically says its original lease agreement with TRWD provided that the lease would conclude once construction began on the two canals and three-acre park.


So this wasn't necessarily a situation where a successful theater unexpectedly lost its property with no prior contractual framework.

Rather, Coyote was operating on land whose long-term future was already connected to Panther Island.


For years, the theater was able to use that property while the much larger redevelopment remained in progress.

Now the timeline has caught up with it.


A Fort Worth Drive-In That Became More Than a Movie Theater

Coyote Drive-In wasn't just a place where people parked their cars and watched movies.

Over its approximately 14-year run, the property became a recognizable part of Fort Worth's entertainment landscape.


The drive-in combined the nostalgia of an old-school outdoor theater with a much more modern entertainment model.

Visitors could watch first-run movies outdoors while listening through their vehicle's FM radio.


The property eventually featured four movie screens, food and drinks, a playground and spaces where people could gather before the movies began.


That made Coyote useful for something traditional movie theaters aren't particularly good at:

turning the movie itself into an entire evening outside.


Families could arrive early.

Kids could play.

People could eat.

Friends could gather.

Then everyone could settle into their vehicles as the sun went down and the screens lit up.


When Did Coyote Drive-In Open?

There is a minor discrepancy in published reporting that is worth explaining rather than pretending it doesn't exist.


Current closure announcements consistently describe Coyote as ending a 14-year run.

CultureMap reports that Coyote Drive-In opened in 2012, while the Dallas Observer describes the opening as 2013.


What is not disputed is that Coyote has been part of Fort Worth for approximately 14 years and will end operations in September 2026.


For historical accuracy, it is better to acknowledge the discrepancy than assign a precise opening date unsupported consistently across current sources.


Jimmy Buffett Was Connected to Coyote Drive-In

One particularly interesting piece of Coyote history is its connection to Jimmy Buffett.

The Dallas Observer reports that Coyote opened with investment support from Buffett and later hosted a Jimmy Buffett concert.


That gives the theater an unusual connection to a performer whose music became synonymous with relaxed outdoor entertainment and escapism.

But concerts were only part of the venue's history.


Coyote Became a Community Event Space

Over the years, Coyote's huge outdoor footprint allowed it to host experiences that went far beyond regular movie screenings.


The venue hosted events including:

High school graduations

Concerts

Fourth of July celebrations and fireworks

Community events

Outdoor ice skating


For several years, the property was also home to Panther Island Ice, a seasonal outdoor skating rink.


CultureMap reports that the rink remained at Coyote Drive-In until the 2022 holiday season before moving to the Fort Worth Stockyards.

That versatility helped turn the property into something larger than a movie venue.


Coyote Drive-In During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coyote's outdoor format became particularly meaningful during the COVID-19 era.


When indoor movie theaters and many entertainment venues were forced to close or dramatically change operations, drive-ins suddenly had something almost perfectly suited to the moment:

built-in physical separation.


People could leave their homes, watch a movie and experience entertainment while remaining inside or near their own vehicles.


Drive-ins offered a rare entertainment option during the pandemic when indoor theaters were shut down.


For a brief period, an entertainment format associated with mid-century America suddenly seemed perfectly designed for the 2020s.


Hundreds of Thousands of Guests Visited Coyote

The scale of Coyote's impact becomes clearer in the farewell message from its leadership.

Managing partner Glenn Solomon said the drive-in was grateful to the hundreds of thousands of guests who visited over the years.


He explained that the original goal was to build more than simply somewhere to watch a movie. The operators wanted a place where families and friends could gather and create memories.


Solomon also specifically recognized longtime general manager Chris Fortune, who has been with Coyote since its opening. The Dallas Observer reports Solomon described Fortune as the “heart and soul” of the operation.


The Closure Is Part of a Much Bigger Fort Worth Transformation

The bittersweet part of the Coyote story is that the closure is happening because another major chapter in Fort Worth's development is moving forward.

Panther Island has been discussed, designed and debated for years.


The area lies immediately north of downtown Fort Worth along the Trinity River and has enormous redevelopment potential.

The construction of new canals is central to the vision because the project isn't simply conventional real estate development.


It involves major changes to the Trinity River and surrounding flood-control infrastructure.

Coyote's land has effectively been sitting inside the future footprint of that transformation.

For years, the drive-in gave Fort Worth residents a productive and entertaining use for the property while those plans moved forward.


Now that the infrastructure work is progressing, the temporary compatibility between the two has reached its end.


Is Coyote Drive-In Moving Somewhere Else?

No replacement Fort Worth location has been announced.

That distinction is important.


As of August 21, 2026, the public announcement describes the Fort Worth theater as permanently closing.


There has been no confirmed announcement that Coyote Drive-In will relocate elsewhere in Fort Worth or reopen at another North Texas property.


If that changes, it would obviously be major news.

But for now, visitors should treat September 7 as the end of the Fort Worth operation rather than assuming a relocation is coming.


Coyote Previously Had Another North Texas Location

Fort Worth wasn't the only North Texas market Coyote entered.

The company previously operated a Lewisville location, which closed in 2018.


That makes the Fort Worth closure particularly significant for fans of the Coyote concept.

Once September 7 arrives, the familiar Coyote Drive-In experience will no longer have its longtime Fort Worth home.


Drive-In Theaters Are Becoming Increasingly Rare

Coyote's closure also fits into a much larger story.

Drive-in theaters were once everywhere.


At their American peak in the late 1950s, there were more than 4,000 drive-in theaters across the United States. Texas alone once had more than 400.

Today, only a fraction remain.


Chron reported this week that roughly 230 drive-ins remain nationally, with approximately 14 operating in Texas around the time of Coyote's closure announcement.

The reasons are numerous.

Land became more valuable.


Suburban development consumed enormous parcels once suitable for drive-ins.

Indoor multiplexes became dominant.

Home entertainment improved.


Streaming completely transformed how movies are distributed and consumed.


And a drive-in requires something increasingly difficult to justify in a growing metropolitan area:

a huge amount of land.


That makes the disappearance of Coyote about more than losing one theater.

It's another example of an increasingly rare American entertainment format disappearing from a major metropolitan area.


Are There Any Drive-In Theaters Left Near Fort Worth?

Yes, although the options become significantly more limited once Coyote closes.


Two remaining drive-ins within the broader North Texas region:

Galaxy Drive-In in Ennis

and

Brazos Drive-In in Granbury. 


For Fort Worth residents specifically, however, losing Coyote means losing a drive-in located essentially alongside downtown.

That's difficult to replace.


What Is Coyote Drive-In Like Before It Closes?

If you've never visited and want to experience it before September 7, Coyote still operates much like the classic drive-in concept with modern additions.


Visitors park facing one of the outdoor screens and listen to movie audio through an FM radio frequency.


Parking is first-come, first-served, and the venue recommends groups arrive together because spaces cannot be saved.

Portable radios are also available to rent for guests who don't want to rely on their vehicle's radio.


Coyote has a Canteen offering movie food and meals, including popcorn, burgers, pizza, chicken, hot dogs, desserts and other concessions.


The venue also offers an enclosed playground and retro arcade games.

Pets are permitted under the theater's current rules as long as they remain leashed.


For anyone making a final visit, checking the current policies and movie schedule directly through Coyote before leaving home is the safest approach.



What Will Coyote Drive-In's Final Movie Be?

There's an almost unbelievable bit of timing surrounding the last scheduled screening.

According to the Dallas Observer, Coyote's final screening on September 7 is expected to include “Coyote vs. Acme.” 

Yes.


A drive-in called Coyote potentially ending its 14-year Fort Worth run with Coyote vs. Acme.


It's difficult to imagine a more appropriate final title.

Because movie schedules can change before September 7, anyone planning a trip specifically for the final screening should verify Coyote's schedule closer to the date.


One Last Movie Under the Fort Worth Sky

For more than a decade, Coyote Drive-In offered something increasingly difficult to find in a rapidly developing Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Space.


A huge outdoor screen.

The Fort Worth skyline.

A car full of friends or family.


And a movie playing beneath the Texas night sky.

Now the land beneath that experience is preparing for its next chapter.


The same Panther Island redevelopment that has surrounded Coyote throughout its existence has reached the point where the property's long-planned canals and park are ready to move forward.


That means September 7, 2026 will mark the end of Coyote Drive-In Fort Worth. 

For Fort Worth, it's both an ending and another sign of how dramatically this part of the city is about to change.


And for anyone who has been saying for years that they wanted to visit Coyote “sometime,” sometime is running out.


Coyote Drive-In Fort Worth

223 NE 4th Street, Fort Worth, TX 76164


Final day: Monday, September 7, 2026


This article reflects confirmed information available as of August 21, 2026. Movie schedules and final-night programming may change before September 7



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