▁changed . ▁America ' s ▁flight ▁to ▁sub ur bs ▁was ▁having ▁a ▁dam aging ▁effect ▁on ▁dow nt own ▁business ▁districts ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁Hard est ▁hit ▁were ▁the ▁dow nt own ▁movie ▁pal aces ▁which ▁d otted ▁America ' s ▁urban ▁land sc apes . ▁Aud ien ces ▁dw ind led ▁and ▁costs ▁rose . ▁Many ▁of ▁our ▁nation ' s ▁fin est ▁movie ▁pal aces ▁were ▁quickly ▁demol ished ▁before ▁anyone ▁noticed ▁because ▁the ▁land ▁beneath ▁them ▁became ▁more ▁valuable ▁than ▁the ▁theatre ▁operation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁theatre ▁faced ▁the ▁same ▁fate . ▁But ▁the ▁citizens ▁r al lied ▁and ▁comm itte es ▁were ▁formed . ▁City ▁leaders ▁became ▁involved , ▁and ▁soon ▁a ▁deal ▁was ▁reached ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁City ▁rescue ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Theatre ▁by ▁assuming ▁its ▁le ases . ▁The ▁Arts ▁Council ▁of ▁Hills borough ▁County ▁agreed ▁to ▁program ▁and ▁manage ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Theatre ▁with ▁films , ▁concert s ▁and ▁special ▁events . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁Theatre ▁re open ed ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Theatre ▁had ▁become ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁model ▁on ▁how ▁to ▁save ▁an ▁end anger ed ▁the ater . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁rest or ations ▁efforts ▁were ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Theatre ▁Foundation ▁after ▁the ▁building ▁caught ▁fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁The ▁theatre ▁presents ▁and ▁hosts ▁over ▁ 6 0 0 ▁events ▁a ▁year ▁including ▁a