Fort Worth’s Coyote Drive-In Closes After 14 Years
After 14 years of movies under the Fort Worth skyline, the lights have officially gone out at Coyote Drive-In.
The longtime Fort Worth attraction held its final night of movies on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026, bringing an end to a run that began when the drive-in opened in 2012.
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Why Did Coyote Drive-In Close?
The closure isn't simply a case of another local entertainment business struggling financially.
Coyote Drive-In operated on property owned by the Tarrant Regional Water District, and its original lease anticipated that the site would eventually be needed for the larger Panther Island/Trinity River project.
With that project moving into its next phase, TRWD exercised its right to terminate the lease. Plans for the property include construction of two new canals and a three-acre park.
14 Years of Movies and Memories in Fort Worth
Coyote Drive-In became much more than somewhere to watch a movie.
Over the years, the outdoor theater welcomed hundreds of thousands of guests and hosted movies, community events and other gatherings. It also took on a particularly unusual role during the COVID-19 pandemic, when drive-in theaters offered people a way to experience movies and events while many traditional venues were closed.
Its location near Downtown Fort Worth also gave moviegoers something difficult to recreate at a conventional theater: watching a movie outdoors with the Fort Worth skyline in the background.
The venue's final weekend drew longtime customers and employees back for one last visit before the screens went dark.
For Fort Worth, the closure marks the end of a distinctive piece of the city's entertainment scene and clears the way for another major step in the long-running development of Panther Island.
After 14 years, Coyote Drive-In's Fort Worth chapter has officially come to an end.
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