BK-my question would be, what is the best theatre restoration you have seen?
And what restored theatre has the most successful programming, in your opinion? The type that makes it a destination point, that would draw people from a large radius because it was unique, or it had some alluring identity?
The best movie theater restoration I've seen is, hands down, the El Capitan here in LA. Formerly one of my favorite movie theaters, the Paramount, by the late 70s it had fallen into a state of neglect by SRO Theaters. Then, Disney bought it, and completely restored it to the way it looked when it was first built and changed its name back to what it was when it was first built (I sort of wish they'd kept it the Paramount, but that's a different studio). It's spectacular.
Also, the theater where Lion King played, the New Amsterdam, I think - also a Disney restoration. Gorgeous.