Almaden Cinema, one of six CineLux Theatres owned by Paul Gunsky, is next in line for a revamp that will convert the traditional straight-slope seating to the popular stadium-style seating. The movie theater will expand from five screens to seven.

On Nov. 17, the San Jose Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement approved the theater's conditional use permit to expand and renovate the theater. After the project receives final approval from San Jose's building department, Gunsky hopes to have all the reconstruction completed by December 2005.

All six CineLux Theatres in the chain, which includes the Campbell CineLux Plaza 4 Theatre--will be getting stadium-style seating, Gunsky said. The Morgan Hill CineLux Theater was the first to receive the tiered seating revamp and this improvement has already boosted sales, Gunsky said.

The Morgan Hill experience has Gunsky hopeful that there will also be a boost in attendance at the Almaden Cinema--located in the Willow Glen Plaza off Almaden Expressway and Curtner Avenue--once the theater has been remodeled. The Almaden Cinema, he said, is a unique neighborhood theater and he hopes to add to its success by offering patrons more state-of-the-art facilities and movies

The theater's planned 4,608-square foot expansion will reach out to the eastern edge of the movie house, increasing the complex to 13,573-square feet. The construction will not affect movie-goers, Gunsky said. It is planned in phases, with the two additional theaters being built off to the side of the existing five-theater complex..

Although Almaden Cinema will gain two screens, the cinema will continue to seat only 553 patrons, as stadium-style seating decreases the number of seats per theater.

Almaden Cinema is located at 2306 Almaden Road in the Willow Glen Plaza. For more information about movie times and showing call 408.265.7373.