Florence Wants To Revive A Historic Downtown Theater

Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly once danced across the screen of the Carolina Theater. Moviegoers lined up beneath a brightly lit marquee to see them. Tickets were 50 cents.

That was before the theater fell into disrepair, becoming a vacant storefront in downtown Florence for decades.

The city is now trying to breathe new life into the historic theater, returning it to its 1940s-era glory days.

The yearslong project is officially underway after the first phase of construction began in April. When finished, the theater will be a multipurpose venue in the heart of downtown, capable of hosting everything from concerts to weddings.

But the final product will depend on how much funding the city can find to finish renovations. Pandemic-era cost increases have shrunk the budget.

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