After seven years and several efforts to make the Cox Capitol Theatre financially viable, its board has announced that a successful downtown bar owner is taking over. 

Tim Obelgoner, general manager of the Hummingbird Stage and Tap Room, is immediately assuming the day-to-day operations, according to a late Tuesday news release. 

Since first opening, the historic theatre has specialized in community events, movies and rentals, and anchored festivals like Bragg Jam and the Macon Film Festival. But it has struggled to find a sustainable format because it has depended heavily on volunteers.

In the news release, local architect Gene Dunwody, Jr., who serves as Capitol Theatre board president, said, "We have had a great run in the past with the help of our community partners, bringing in many high quality acts. It is our intention to have a qualified operations staff to take this facility to a higher level." 

Specifically, Dunwody said, the board wanted someone with management experience to focus on the theatre's sustainability. 

Obelgoner lists, as part of his goals outlined in the news release, that he hopes to have at least one national act a month perform at the Capitol.

"As a result of our success at the Hummingbird, we need a venue for booking larger events," he said.

The Capitol Theatre first opened in November 1916 and closed in 1976, according to its website. A group of locals began restoring the old theatre to its former glory in 2003, reopening in 2006 as a "cornerstone in the revitalization effort of downtown Macon..."