Carolina Theatre
226 N. Tryon Street,
Charlotte,
NC
28202
226 N. Tryon Street,
Charlotte,
NC
28202
9 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Carolina Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc., Publix
Architects: Robert E. Hall, Charles C. Hook
Firms: Robert E. Hall & Company
Styles: Mission Revival
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 31, 2013 — "2001: A Space Odyssey" 45th Anniversary – The Cinerama Engagements
- Dec 23, 2012 — Charlotte selects foundation to restore theater
- Dec 9, 2012 — Happy 50th, “Lawrence of Arabia”
- Oct 15, 2012 — City Council sees 'jewel' in uptown's old Carolina Theatre
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
- Oct 30, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Sleeping Beauty"
- Dec 18, 2008 — Remembering Cinerama (Part 16: Charlotte)
- Jan 12, 2006 — Charlotte's Carolina Theatre Sold to Developer
- Jan 16, 2004 — Today's Newsreel
Opened on March 7, 1927, the Carolina Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Charlotte. It was built for and operated by Publix. In the 1940’s in was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary H.F. Kincey.
Despite a successful multi-decade run, including a period as a Cinerama theatre, the Carolina Theatre closed on November 27, 1978, and was damaged by arson in the 1980’s. Many decorative elements of the original interior were removed, but others remain including the (badly damaged) murals. The lobby and entrance portion of the building was demolished recently, but the space from the auditorium to the street was very recently turned into a beautiful mini-park. The building is structurally sound, the exterior has been repaired and repainted.
In April 2013, the city of Charlotte sold the Carolina Theatre for $1.00 to the Foundation for the Carolinas which intends to restore it as a performing arts and community center seating between 1,000 and 1,200. This project, estimated to cost $51,500,000, benefited from a $5,000,000 pledge from the Bank of America on January 28, 2014, to kick-start its fundraising campaign for the restoration. In 2018 Barings Bank gifted $500,000 which completed the $51.5 million required for the renovations. Construction has begun in renovating the Carolina Theatre with a planned 2020 reopening. A 32-story Intercontinental Hotel will be built on top of the theatre and the new project will be named Belk Place in honor of the Belk family.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick, Dave Litterer
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Recent comments (view all 190 comments)
Mark: Finally! Hope to see photos soon. My email is
Lived there 18 winters and met with many fellow theatre buffs re: this theatre in downtown Charlotte. Even went to a NYE party there years ago.
https://carolinatheatreclt.org/theatre/project/
The Charlotte Business Journal just reported on updates for this project. Opening is at least a year away so hopefully some time in summer of 2024. The costs is now estimated at $73 million and may go up a bit more. Fundraising is needed for an additional $12 million. The 32 story hotel addition over the lobby has not restarted yet but hopefully will soon. Inside work on the ceiling is progressing as is recasting of ornamental plaster removed in the 1961 Cinerama remodeling. No photographers have been allowed in yet in hopes of building up a wow factor closer to the reopening.
A chronology of Charlotte’s 70mm presentations history has recently been published/updated. The Carolina, of course, gets several mentions in the piece.
July 2023: The new newsletter has some color photos of the auditorium restoration - they’ve restored a lot of the ornamental details in the front of the auditorium with those around sidewalls and balcony starting later in the summer. Nice progress being made! Go to this link (https://carolinatheatreclt.org/) and scroll down to the newsletter button.
Updates from the official website of Foundation for the Carolinas have great pictures of the most recent work done which is estimated at 70% complete. EverGreene Studios is doing incredible work on plaster restoration and painting. No opening date has been set but the budget has climbed to $88 million.
Thank you ncmark for the latest update. Will look at photos on Foundation for the Carolinas.
Where does one find photos re: the Carolina on Foundation for the Carolinas?
Construction is in the final stages with completion projected for the end of 2024 and the grand opening early in 2025. The budget has grown to nearly $90 million. The exterior has a recently added vertical sign (posted in the photo section) and the historic facade with a reproduction marquee is being reinstalled just inside the new glass box lobby.