TAMPA, Fla. — 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.“I’ve had a front row seat to see the transformation of our neighborhood and how Tampa Theatre has played a part in downtown Tampa’s renaissance.”
During his tenure, Tampa Theatre won numerous awards and was named among the “World’s Most Beautiful Cinemas” by the BBC, per the release.
Bell's successor is expected to be announced next spring before the theater's 100th anniversary in October of 2026.
Tampa Theatre hosts more than 1,000 events annually and has around 120,000 guests each year, per the announcement.
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