As a catalyst project that initiated significant results from a downtown revitalization plan led by Strategy 5 Principal, Ernest E. Bleinberger, the Francis Marion Performing Arts Center stands as a testament to the importance of partnerships. The facility was created by merging interest in a downtown performing arts center, expressed both by Francis Marion University, and the Florence Little Theater. The Florence Downtown Development Corporation served as the glue for the joint venture, and the facility has served to lead the City’s renaissance. Mr. Bleinberger brought the parties together as part of the downtown plan and laid out key implementation steps that were followed.
The Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center located in downtown Florence also features the Florence Little Theater as a partner performance space. Both sponsoring entities were located about five miles from the downtown, in different directions, prior to this combined signature space being constructed. It has spurred restaurant, retail, and hotel development nearby, and enhanced the image of downtown significantly.