A deal to bring a casino to Belleville was struck earlier this week, as local councillors were at city hall to make it official.

An article by CKWS Television explains that ‘Shorelines Casino Belleville’ will be located near Highway 401, on Bell Boulevard.

The 48,000-square-foot facility will be home to 450 slot machines, two entertainment stages and 22 gaming tables. The casino’s owner/operator, the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, will be investing $41 million to make the project become a reality.

“We are committed to our deadline, or our timeline, of the end of the first quarter 2017 to have this facility operational,” Great Canadian’s Chuck Keeling told the press. “As I said during the presentation, that is an aggressive timeline, but one that is entirely attainable.”

“It’s good news for the city of Belleville, good for development, good for growth, good for employment and good for the retail sector,” Belleville Mayor Taso Christopher said.