Fort Worth's Coyote Drive-In is shutting off the projectors for good after 14 years of movies and outdoor entertainment, with its final day set for Labor Day - Monday, September 7.

The drive-in managers announced the closure in an August 17 release, saying its lease with the Tarrant Regional Water District is ending as the Trinity River Vision project moves toward construction of two new canals and a three-acre park on the property.

Under the terms of Coyote Drive-In's original lease with TRWD, the lease would conclude once the district began its long-planned construction. With the next Panther Island milestone anticipated for this fall, TRWD exercised its right to terminate the lease, the release says.

Coyote Drive-In opened in 2012 as a unique entertainment venue, attracting old-timers with memories of drive-in date nights and young families who could enjoy a movie night in a whole new way. It also hosted community events. For several years, it was the site of a popular holiday ice rink called Panther Island Ice, before the rink moved to the nearby Fort Worth Stockyards.

Outdoor ice skating was held at Coyote Drive-In in Fort Worth for several years, until the 2022 holiday season. Photo courtesy of TRVA

"When we opened Coyote Drive-In, we hoped to create more than just a place to watch movies; we wanted to create a place where families and friends could come together and make lasting memories," says Glenn Solomon, Managing Partner of Coyote Drive-In Fort Worth, in the release. "We have been incredibly fortunate to be part of the Fort Worth community and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, and we are deeply grateful to the hundreds of thousands of guests who chose to spend their evenings with us over the years."

Solomon also thanked Coyote's customers, employees (especially Chris Fortune, who has served as general manager since Coyote Drive-In opened), business partners, and the Fort Worth community.

"Your support made Coyote Drive-In what it became, and we will always be thankful for the role you played in our success," he says.

Guests can visit Coyote Drive-In through its final night on September 7 for one last movie under the stars. Movies currently showing include: Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, The End of Oak Street, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Toy Story 5.