Tampa Theatre

  The Tampa Theatre is a historic U.S. theater and city landmark in Downtown Tampa, Florida. Designed as an atmospheric theatre-style movie palace by architect John Eberson, it opened on October 15, 1926. The theatre features a wide range of independent, foreign, and documentary films. It is Tampa's only non-profit movie palace, and operating costs are supported by its members, donors, and corporate sponsors, as well as by ticket and concessions sales. It has often been used as a backdrop for movies, music videos, and local programming. Tampa Theatre was the first commercial building in Tampa to offer air conditioning.[3] The theatre's interior resembles a romantic Mediterranean courtyard replete with old-world statuary, flowers, and gargoyles. On the ceiling is an artificial nighttime sky with stars on it. By the 1960s and 70s, many American movie palaces were demolished because the land beneath them became more valuable than the theatre operation. In 1973, the theatre faced t...