 Widely viewed as a classic example of the fallibility of urban renewal, Constitution Plaza was for many years a well-celebrated aesthetic and economic success, as it stabilized the initial decline of the downtown business district and, in combination with the later XL Center complex, sparked a modest downtown revival and office building boom that began in the mid-1970s.In recent times, multiple ownerships, the demise of several of its corporate tenants, the closure of the hotel, and the severe recession of the early 1990s have called into question its long-term viability.Constitution Plaza was the site of many annual public events, such as the popular Festival of Lights during the holiday season (which has since been relocated in a scaled-down form to nearby Bushnell Park), and a number of concerts and sing-alongs.