The Clearview Franklin Cinema, located at 99 Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square, is one of eight Long Island theaters that will soon become part of the Long Island Cablevision family thanks to a deal between the Cablevision Systems Corporation and the Clearview Cinema Group that was announced last week.

Over the past few years, the Chatham, New Jersey-based Clearview Cinema Group had been pushing into the Long Island market, acquiring several theaters, including movie houses in Manhasset, New Hyde Park, Port Washington, Great Neck, Roslyn, Babylon and Baldwin.

Previously, it had owned theaters primarily in its home state and in Westchester County.

But that activity on the Island, in his own backyard, as it were, caught the attention of Cablevision Systems CEO Charles Dolan, who struck the deal that has now been approved by both company's board of directors.

The definitive merger was a total gross value of about $160 million, including Cablevision's assumption of $80 million of Clearview's outstanding debt.

Fifty-five percent of the deal will be paid for in cash. The other forty-five percent will be paid for with Cablevision common stock.

In a telephone press conference on Thursday, Aug. 13, Cablevision President James Dolan, the son of Charles Dolan, predicted that the deal will be "wonderful for all New York metropolitan area movie fans," while affording his own company the opportunity for "expansion in a niche market."

Dolan said he foresees the relationship between the two companies as one of cross promotion -- with cable shows being advertised in theaters and movies being hyped on Cablevision.

"As the biggest reason people acquire Cablevision is movies, this will strengthen our relationship with our best customers." he said.

The Clearview Cinema Group was founded in 1994 when its founder and chairman Bud Mayo purchased five theaters in New Jersey.

Over the past four years, the company has grown phenomenally, jumping from 21 screens in 1995 to more than 300 today.

From the company's outset, its chairman has attempted to promote his theaters as an alternative to the ubiquitous multiplex.

Like the Clearview Franklin Cinema, most of the movie houses owned by Mayo have no more than five or six screens.

During the press conference, Mayo said that the acquisition by Cablevision will not significantly change his small community theaters, where, as in the Franklin Square theater's case, ticket prices usually range at around $5 per person.

Dolan said that the only difference he foresees is Cablevision's presence in the theater, by way of pre-movie commercials for various Cablevision networks, ads in the lobby "and our name on the popcorn cups."

He also said that in the future the public might be able to purchase books of tickets to watch movies at home through video-on-demand or in a theater.

Once the deal is completely finalized, Mayo and his senior management team will join the Cablevision organization.

The Clearview Cinema Group will be operated together with Cablevision's live entertainment properties -- Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden -- under Cablevision's Madison Square Garden division.