Kings Theatre Reopens In Brooklyn After $95 Million Makeover
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A legendary Brooklyn theater is reborn.
After a $95 million makeover, the ribbon was cut Friday morning on the renovated Kings Theatre in Flatbush.
Kings Theatre Reopens In Brooklyn After $95 Million Makeover
"What can I say except wow" said former Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. "Brooklyn now has its Beacon and its Apollo Theater all in one."
The movie house on Flatbush Avenue opened in 1929 and was inspired by the Palace of Versailles and the Paris Opera House.
Kings Theatre Reopens In Brooklyn After $95 Million Makeover
Barbra Streisand, Henry Winkler and Sylvester Stallone worked as ushers at the old Loew's Kings Theatre. The venue hosted major acts including Bob Hope and Milton Berle, beauty pageants in the 1940s and the Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston boxing match in 1964.
The movie palace fell into disrepair after shutting down in 1977 and was seized by the city for back taxes in 1980.
It has been converted into a performance arts center.
"This will be the Radio City Music Hall of Brooklyn and it will be just as spectacular," then Mayor Michael Bloomberg said during the groundbreaking for the restoration in 2013.
There are great Corinthian Columns and magnificent maroon and gold curtains on the sides of the 3,000-seat facility, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
The marquee outside now advertises a sold-out inaugural concert featuring Diana Ross on Feb. 3.
For more information, visit kingstheatre.com.
