The popular arcade, bar and restaurant will open in Celebration Pointe in early- to mid-2020.

A Dave and Buster’s is officially coming to Gainesville.

John Mulleady, Dave and Buster’s senior vice president of development, confirmed to The Sun Tuesday that the popular arcade, bar and restaurant will open in Celebration Pointe in early- to mid-2020. Gainesville’s Dave and Buster’s will be a new, smaller-sized concept designed for markets Gainesville's size.

The Dave and Buster’s will be a standalone building in Celebration Pointe's "The Shops" area near the new Azulene Day Spa, said Ralph Conti, managing principal with RaCo Real Estate and development partner with Celebration Pointe.

Conti said Tuesday he and other Celebration Pointe officials have been working with Dave and Buster’s for several years to bring one to Gainesville. He said Celebration Pointe officials are excited about the deal.

“We couldn’t be more excited. They’re going to absolutely kill it,” Conti said. “They’re going to have great visibility off I-75 and they fit in perfectly with what we’re trying to create here — an entertainment-driven development.”

Dave and Buster’s is known for its full-service restaurant, serving American, sports bar-like menu items and alcoholic beverages, as well as an entertainment venue because of its arcade designed for both adults and children.

There are eight Dave and Buster’s locations in Florida, located in more densely populated cities like Orlando, Miami, Fort Myers and Jacksonville, the closest location to Gainesville.

“This just proves that there’s a market for these kinds of places in Gainesville,” Conti said.

Dave and Buster’s is one of the more high-profile signings made by Celebration Pointe, Conti said, but Gainesville residents should expect more to be announced soon.

“I know we’ve been a little quiet recently but we’re being purposefully quiet,” Conti said. “We have a lot more announcements to make. We’re being strategic about this.”