The official opening of the Majestic 12 theater on Friday reaffirms the vitality of downtown development and confirms the community as a leader in the construction of sustainable buildings. The 12-screen moviehouse, located conveniently at Third and Broad streets, replaces the nearby Bijou, which had served patrons for more than a decade.

When constructed, the Bijou was the first general-interest movie theater built downtown in almost half a century. Doomsayers of the period publicly wondered whether there were enough people in the area willing to travel downtown to see a movie to make the Bijou a viable enterprise. The positive answer was quick in coming.

Crowds flocked to the theater. It quickly became an integral part of downtown's attractive entertainment mix. Indeed, the Majestic 12 is a natural outgrowth of the Bijou's long-term popularity.

The continuing success of the older theater prompted Carmike Theaters to undertake construction of a new and larger movie complex with up-to-date amenities. The Majestic offers, for example, stadium seating and a 56-seat Ovation Club. The latter is a premium-priced section where patrons age 21 and above can sit in reclining leather seats and have a variety of food and drinks -- including alcoholic beverages -- served by a waiter or waitress. The club-within-the-theater marks the start of a new era in Chattanooga movie theaters.

The energy-efficient, sustainable building that houses the Majestic is a history-maker in its own right. It is the nation's first free-standing green theater, according to theater and community officials. Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) certification that will confirm that status is expected in about a month from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Majestic will positively impact Chattanooga's already bustling downtown. The new theater should significantly increase the number of moviegoers in the central city. That, in turn, should boost traffic and bottom lines at nearby restaurants and other establishments. Given that, the opening of the new theater is a welcome addition to the area's entertainment options and a boon to the community.