Clearwater's historic Capitol Theatre may just be one of the best Tampa Bay music and entertainment venues you've never heard of. Located on Downtown Clearwater's famous Cleveland Street, the Capitol Theatre has been a live entertainment staple in Clearwater since it first opened its doors in 1921.
But, time tends to age things, slowly take away their once brand-new shiny glory, and the Capitol Theatre is no exception. That's why the Clearwater City Council recently approved plans for a $7 million upgrade to the theatre expected to begin in December.
The City will remove the "historic" from Capitol Theatre name as plans are currently under way to merge the 91-year-old theatre with another historic structure next door. The merging process will give the Capitol Theatre an additional 5,600 square feet of space for more seats, lobby space, restrooms, and dressing rooms.
The Capitol Theatre is owned by Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. Officials from the organization say that despite the $7 million worth of renovations, the theatre will still maintain its original Mediterranean Revival look from its start in 1921, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
If everything goes according to schedule, the renovation process on the Capitol Theatre should be completed by October 2013. The new space will boast a seating capacity of almost 750 in comparison to the 485 the theatre currently seats.
