Theater Destructions and Closure Cases

While theaters suffered economic-based closures, fires were a common tragedy. Some theaters fell victim to natural disasters and others, potentially, to arson. When these disasters struck, many theaters lacked the resources or financial support to rebuild. The Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, where Gone With the Wind premiered, became the subject of great interest in the property wars of 1970s Atlanta. During a struggle for the theater's ideally situated yet legally protected historic space, it caught fire. Local reporters raised the possibility of arson, while preservationists lobbied unsuccessfully for the building's restoration. Today, the Georgia-Pacific Tower stands on the site once occupied by the Loew's Grand.