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In June 1948, the 35-acre site was purchased by [[J. & M. Enterprises (Minneapolis, Minnesota)|J. & M. Enterprises]] of [[Minneapolis, Minnesota]], which announced that it would immediately begin work on constructing an outdoor drive-in theater with state-of-the-art features and a planned capacity of approximately one thousand cars.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45474942/the_journal_times/ "Outdoor Theater Announced Here"], [[Racine Journal Times]], June 21, 1948, page five.</ref> Located in the formerly rural but rapidly suburbanizing area of [[Mygatts Corners, Wisconsin|Mygatts Corners]], the site was immediately outside Racine's city limits at the time. In December 1948, the Nelson Walker homestead along Washington Avenue was demolished more than a century after it was built, in order to make way for the theater's ongoing construction.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45488660/the_journal_times/ "Mygatts Corners"], [[Racine Journal Times]], December 14, 1948, page 21.</ref> During construction, on March 19, 1949, an oil burner in the production booth exploded, causing approximately $2,000 in damage but no injuries.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45489096/the_journal_times/ "Happenings in the City"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 19, 1949, page three.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45489196/the_journal_times/ "City Briefs"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 21, 1949, page four.</ref>
 
The Racine Outdoor Theatre opened on April 30, 1949, with a showing of the 1948 musical romantic comedy film ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_on_the_High_Seas {{W|Romance on the High Seas]}}''.<ref name=cinematreasures>[http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12236 "Westgate Outdoor Theatre"], ''cinematreasures.org''.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15130199/racine_outdoor_theatre_opening/ Advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], April 29, 1949, page 19.</ref> In September 1950, a safe containing $400 was stolen from the theater, which was found empty and damaged "beyond repair" a month later along [[Four Mile Road (Caledonia, Wisconsin)|Four Mile Road]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45490819/the_journal_times/ "Happenings in the City"], [[Racine Journal Times]], October 16, 1950, page four.</ref>
 
In September 1951, the theater was acquired by the [[Papas-Spheeris Company]], which began major renovations in advance of the 1952 season. 650 new speakers were installed, post lights were added to improve visibility for drivers, and a children's playground was built at the base of the screen. Papas-Spheeris also renamed the venue, calling it the Westgate Outdoor Theatre.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45493575/the_journal_times/ "Improve Theater on Highway 20"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 21, 1952, page 22.</ref> Westgate reopened on April 17, 1952, with a showing of the 1951 Western film ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_West_{{W|Passage West (1951_film)1951 film)|Passage West]}}''.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15137889/westgate_drive_in_opening/ Advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], April 16, 1952, page 29.</ref> The theater, located in a low-lying area, was in the path of the natural sewage drainage of houses on Perry Avenue and in Mygatts Corners, and its operators had initially agreed to allow the water to flow across their property unobstructed. However, in April 1953, the theater's owners announced they would block the flow, and during a heavy rainstorm a few days later, their blockage caused the basements of nearby houses to be flooded. After complaints from residents and the town board of Mount Pleasant, the theater agreed to unblock the sewer until a permanent solution could be found.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45495729/the_journal_times/ "Mt. Pleasant Board Calls Emergency Sewerage Meeting"], [[Racine Journal Times]], April 28, 1953, page five.</ref> An attorney for the theater argued that blocking the drainage "was a dramatic method of pointing out to residents of the township that they have a definite sewage disposal problem, and that the time to get busy and correct it is now." The incident provoked the ongoing discussion of how to integrate the growing suburban areas into the city of Racine's sanitary sewage system, which had historically required the areas to be annexed into the city.<ref>Edwards, Charles. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45499682/the_journal_times/ "Sewage Problem In Mt. Pleasant Angers Residents"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 1, 1953, front page and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45499855/the_journal_times/ page 2].</ref>
 
On the night of May 23, 1958, four children of the same Racine family suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning when their father ran their car's motor too long during a show at the theater. The children were administered oxygen at [[St. Mary's Hospital (Racine, Wisconsin)|St. Mary's Hospital]] and were released in the morning.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45507119/the_journal_times/ "4 Racine Children Are Overcome by Monoxide at Outdoor Theater"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 24, 1958, front page.</ref>
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With the opening of the [[Westgate Cinema (Racine, Wisconsin)|Westgate Cinema]] indoor theater across the street in 1968, the outdoor theater declined in popularity. In the mid-1970s, the nearby [[Christ Church United Methodist (Racine, Wisconsin)|Christ Church United Methodist]] offered Sunday morning outdoor worship services at the theater.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45547719/the_journal_times/ "News of the Churches"], [[Racine Journal Times]], June 22, 1974, page 4A.</ref> These events sometimes included pastors from other churches as part of the "Community-All Faiths Worship series".<ref>Dose, Emmert H. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45547898/the_journal_times/ "Outdoor theater is place of worship"], [[Racine Journal Times]], July 16, 1977, page 4.</ref>
 
Westgate Outdoor Theater ended the 1978 season without fanfare on September 18, showing a double feature of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_{{W|The End (1978_film)1978 film)|The End]}}'' (1978) and ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gator_{{W|Gator (film) |Gator]}}'' (1976), both directed by Burt Reynolds.<ref name=cinematreasures/> After Jewel shut down all Turn Style stores that year, the Racine store was one of three that was not subleased to [[The May Department Stores Company]] to become a [[Venture Stores|Venture]] store. Instead, [[ShopKo]] became interested in the location. Originally planning to renovate and expand the Turn Style building,<ref>Pfankuchen, David. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45557907/the-journal-times/ "ShopKo may buy ex-Turn Style store"], [[Racine Journal Times]], November 28, 1978, page 1D.</ref> ShopKo later proposed tearing down both the store and the theater to build a new shopping center.<ref>Pfankuchen, David. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45558718/the-journal-times/ "ShopKo key to development"], [[Racine Journal Times]], February 4, 1979, page 1C.</ref> The theater was demolished in May 1979, shortly after the thirtieth anniversary of its opening.<ref>Conrad, Fred W. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45559379/the-journal-times/ "Goodbye to Westgate" (editorial)], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 8, 1979, page 6A.</ref> It was replaced by the [[Westgate Mall Shopping Center (Racine, Wisconsin)|Westgate Mall Shopping Center]], which opened in November 1979.
 
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