Tampa Theatre President and CEO John Bell has announced his plans to retire in the summer of 2026 after 40 years of working for the theater, according to a release on Friday.

The theater said Bell arrived in Tampa in 1985 and during his career, he expanded programming to include first-run independent films, creating the long-running Summer Classics movie series and transforming the theater into an intimate live concert venue.

When I first arrived here, Tampa Theatre was a lonely beacon of light in an otherwise desolate downtown, said Bell.Ive had a front row seat to see the transformation of our neighborhood and how Tampa Theatre has played a part in downtown Tampas renaissance.

During his tenure, Tampa Theatre won numerous awards and was named among the Worlds Most Beautiful Cinemas by

See Full Page