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LAKEWOOD - The movie theater business is changing and Dipson's Lakewood Cinema 8 is now one of few locations in Western New York to have cutting-edge digital and 3-D technology.

Installed Wednesday, the new Digital Cinema Projector at Dipson's Lakewood site will allow the theater to show such coming 3-D attractions as ''Coraline,'' which opened Friday, and ''The Jonas Brothers 3D Concert Experience,'' which will be released later this month.

In December, Dipson Theatres installed its first Digital Cinema Projector in the company's McKinley location and, according to Mike Clement, Dipson president, the response from customers has been exceptional. As a result, the company decided install a projector in Lakewood and will be installing a second projector at McKinley. Other than the two Dipson locations, there is reportedly only one other Western New York theater with a digital projector and 3-D capabilities.

According to Clement, the economic situation has slowed the rollout of 3-D technologies in theaters throughout America.

''Several years ago, one would have predicted the theaters would have been digital by now, but financing is unavailable,'' Clement said. ''We decided to purchase a couple of the digital projectors on our own and make the investment so we can play the 3-D films, sporting events, operas, ballets concerts and more. There are 24 3-D movies coming out in the next two years and we plan to have all of them, if not most of them.''

With digital technology, Clement said area residents may soon be able to experience major sporting events live and in 3-D at the Lakewood theater.

''We're certainly leading the way with independent exhibitors,'' Clement said. ''This should certainly change the business model for movie theaters down the road.''

According to Clement, tickets for ''The Jonas Brothers 3D Concert Experience'' will be $3 cheaper at Dipson's Lakewood theater than at other theaters in Western New York - an admission price of $12 as opposed to $15. However, Clement said people should expect 3-D offerings to be more expensive than regular movies as there is a cost involved with the new technology. Additionally, moviegoers will have to buy 3-D glasses to view the films and live events.

''The glasses that have to be used to watch the movies are not the old, throw-away paper glasses,'' Clement said. ''We will have recycle bins at the theater and we're encouraging everyone to deposit the glasses in these bins afterward. No one wants to put on a pair of glasses which has been worn by someone else, so we send them back, they get cleaned, re-packaged and every time you come in, you have a brand new pair of glasses.''

Begun in Batavia in 1939, Dipson Theatres now consists of 38 screens at 10 locations in New York and Pennsylvania. In November of 2006, the company completed extensive renovations at its Lakewood location for greater audience comfort. According to Clement, upgrading the theater's technology ''goes hand-in-hand'' with upgrading the physical facility.

Lakewood Cinema 8 is located at 171-3 Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood, the theater can be reached by calling 763-3531. The new Digital Cinema Projector was installed in Cinema 1, the Lakewood site's largest auditorium.