COMING SOON . . . A THEATER NEAR YOU;
GLEN COVE CINEMA TO RE-OPEN IN 2014

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November 1 -- Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi held a press conference early Friday afternoon in front of the closed Glen Cove Cinemas on School Street to announce that the theater had been sold to Huntington-based real estate investment firm, the DiNoto Group, and would be re-opening in 2014 - possibly as early as January. The six-screen facility has been closed since March.

Standing beside Mr. Suozzi was investor Robert DiNoto, the new owner of the theater.  Mr. DiNoto stated that after months of negotiation, the deal was closed yesterday, and offered praise of Mr. Suozzi's efforts.  "Mr. Suozzi has worked harder than anyone to make the re-opening a reality and his resolve and persistence since the beginning of the process has been quite clear."  

Mr. DiNoto explained that he was in discussions with potential operators for the theater, and that the timing of its re-opening  was dependent on who that would be.  He said that if it was a small local operator, it could be as early as January, but with a larger national company coming in, it would more likely be in mid- to late 2014.  In addition, he explained that the cost of renovations to the interior of the building would vary greatly depending on the operator.  With a large national firm it could be as great as $4,000,000, and as low as $1,000,000 with a smaller local outfit. 

Mr. Suozzi stated that he had been working with Mr. DiNoto since June "to connect him with potential theater operators and to discuss a variety of financial incentives we can offer through the city and its agencies to get the theater open as quickly as possible and return our city's primary entertainment venue."  The decrease in tax revenue, Mr. Suozzi said, resulting from the tens of thousands of dollars in tax incentives, was minuscule compared to the enormous economic benefits that were to be derived from having a theater open in downtown Glen Cove.  He explained that with the theater closed millions of dollars "are walking away" from the community and going to Hicksville or other communities with theaters.  

The theater he said would bring in "millions of dollars of economic activity that this theater generates and jobs for young kids and a place for them to go."  He continued, "it's a ripple effect. . . the jobs that are created for construction and the permanent jobs and the businesses that spring up around it - the restaurants will do well and the people employed in these places, the psychology of the community."

A Glen Cove resident who attended the press conference said that she is very happy the theater is re-opening.  "I haven't been to see a movie since it closed, and I think that is true of many people in Glen Cove." She added, "it affects the whole community - all the local businesses as well.  People like to go out for a movie and a pizza."


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New theater owner Robert DiNoto and Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi listen to questions during Friday's press conference.