The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has approved a new gambling and entertainment facility in Delta, B.C.

The Cascades Casino Delta, which will be operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited, is set to have a hotel, restaurants, meeting space and a casino with 500 slot machines, as well as table games.

According to a release from the BCLC, the approval follows "extensive reviews of the market opportunity, business case, health impacts and municipal approval process to ensure that the project meets legislated requirements under the Gaming Control Act."

Construction at the site near the Massey Tunnel at the intersection of highways 99 and 17A will begin in early 2019, and the casino is expected to open in mid-2020.

The release said the design of the casino reflects feedback from the public — but not everyone is on board with the project.

The City of Richmond filed an objection with the BCLC, saying they were worried about crime, traffic and transportation, which triggered the BCLC's legislative requirement to implement a non-binding dispute resolution process and appoint an independent, third-party mediator.

BCLC received the mediator's report in mid-October, which concluded that the City of Richmond did not provide supporting documentation to substantiate its concerns.