One of the last surviving drive-in movie theatres in Kansas, the Kanopolis Drive-In, has been forced to close early for the season and its future is in jeopardy.

Drive-in owner Jessica Eagle-Moyer tearfully announced Friday night the venue was forced to close because of a broken projector, which she said despite their efforts over the past couple of weeks is not able to be fixed.

According to Eagle-Moyer, the broken projector is one of the first digital projectors produced, so parts are no longer available. She said “it’s at its age-limit”, and added that a replacement projector would cost $100,000.

Eagle-Moyer concluded they were going to try and regroup, and figure out how to replace the projector by next season.

The Kanopolis Drive-In is now closed for the season. All remaining events which were scheduled through the end of the season are cancelled.

The Kanopolis Drive-In has a capacity of 160 cars, and ran in continuous operation from 1952 until 2006. The theater re-opened under the ownership of Josh Webb as the Kanopolis Drive-In in May 2011, and began a new chapter this season under the ownership of Jessica Eagle-Moyer and her husband Tyson.

A donation fund has been established.