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Celebrating 50 Years of Growth, Jobs and Development 19 The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts • HISTORY Constructed in 1904 as the Franklin Square Theatre, the venue reached its pinnacle in 1925 when Thomas W. Lamb added 3,000 seats, decorative plaster, marble columns and luxurious furnishings to the structure, which featured Broadway and vaudeville shows. In 1967, National Amusements converted the luxurious theatre into a Showcase Cinema in response to a changing cultural environment. • CHALLENGE The transformation of an ornate live entertainment venue into a movie theater required significant physical changes to the historic property, completely altering this Worcester landmark. A depressed economy forced the cinema to close in the late 1990s and the property fell into disrepair during the next ten years. • SOLUTION The WBDC partnered with city, state and federal officials, local businesses, colleges, foundations and residents in 2002 to restore the theatre. With its expertise, the WBDC helped acquire public and private funding, several tax credits, grants, bank financing and a construction loan for this historical renovation. WBDC's day-to-day management kept the $31 million restoration project on track. • RESULTS On March 14, 2008, The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts earned a standing ovation when it introduced the restored 2,300-seat theatre to the public. Today, the Theatre hosts first-class concerts, Broadway shows, comedy acts and other entertainers, attracting more than 200,000 visitors annually and generating more than $40 million in economic investment. Significant public and private support, as well as expert management from the WBDC, brought a first-class live entertainment to the City. With the Show! Built: 1904 Vacant: Late 1990s to 2002 Reopened: 2008 On «