The Florida Theatre board of directors began a campaign about three years ago to raise enough money to complete a comprehensive renovation before the theater's 100th anniversary in April 2027.
“We are a little over $7 million toward our $10 million goal as of today,” said Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin Thursday morning.
He was joined on the stage of the historic venue Downtown by Mayor Lenny Curry and Leslie Gordon, vice chair of the board.
The city has appropriated $1 million per year for five years and 72 donors have pledged $2.2 million of the theatre's $5 million match, Saisselin said.
“This is a jewel and a special nugget in the budget,” Curry said of the theater and the capital improvement investment in the city-owned entertainment and education facility.
“Downtown would not be the same without the Florida Theatre. We have to preserve it,” Gordon said.
Improvements will include more comfortable seats, new stage lighting, an enhanced sound system, new HVAC, improvements to the restrooms and an expansion of the space behind the balcony.