Founded in 1979, the Michigan Theater Foundation works to preserve, restore and operate the Michigan Theater venues for the benefit of the community and of the arts. The foundation was established to save the Michigan Theater from demolition in 1979, when developers threatened to convert the theater into a food court. Today, the Michigan Theater is proud to serve as the community gathering place for the greater Ann Arbor area. Over 250,000 guests attend movies, plays, music and comedy concerts, talks, meetings, parties, weddings and other events each year.