Mystic — The owner of the Olde Mistick Village Art Cinemas plans an extensive refurbishment and expansion later this year that will result in four smaller theaters with upgraded seating and an opportunity for patrons to purchase beer and wine.

“It’s the trend that’s happening all across the country,” said cinema owner William Dougherty about the move to luxury theaters. “It will be stunning when it’s done.”

The cinema is seeking a special use permit from the Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission, which will now set a date for a public hearing.

Plans call for expanding the number of theaters from the current three to four but decreasing the overall number of seats from 725 to 350. One of the theaters will have just 41 seats.

There will be a 267-square-foot addition to the lobby, new bathrooms, upgraded concessions, new carpeting and screens and wider seats with more leg room.

If the beer and wine sales are approved by local and state authorities, Dougherty said the cinema will team up with Jonathan Edwards Winery on the wine concession.

“It will be a state-of-the-art luxury theater,” he said.

Dougherty said research has shown that decreasing the number of seats in theaters actually increases attendance as people travel for the experience of seeing a movie in a luxury setting.

Dougherty declined to discuss how much the project will cost.

“I’ll have to sell a lot of popcorn,” he joked.

He said the project has been a dream since buying the cinema in 2006. He said he has partnered on the project with another theater veteran, Harold Blank of Boston, who recently opened a similar project in Marblehead, Mass. Blank is the second vice president of the Theater Owners of New England.

“We are two theater veterans who are so excited about this project. We’re excited for the town,” Dougherty said, adding that area hotels and restaurants will also benefit from the project.

“Mystic is a special place. We have great local patrons, and they deserve this,” he said.

He said the cinema will continue to show art films as well as more family movies and content such as ballets and operas via satellite.

Dougherty said that if all goes according to plan, the cinema would close in August and reopen the refurbished facility the first week of October.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas