After years of discussion about where a new London gambling operation may be located and when it might open, Gateway Casinos has decided to stay put.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Gateway confirmed that it has signed a new lease at Western Fair District and will be working on plans to increase its footprint there in the future.

“We will also reflag the property with one of Gateway’s proprietary casino brands. We look forward to sharing more exciting details about these plans in the coming months,” said Grant Darling, Gateway’s Senior Vice President of Operations.

Gateway had explored moving operations to a site on Wonderland Road, but that was put on hold when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“In the meantime, we continue to appreciate the ongoing co-operation and partnership of Western Fair with our current operations and the planning efforts for our future expansion at the fairgrounds,” said Darling.

A spokesperson for Gateway Casinos couldn’t confirm how long the lease is, or what construction plans may include.

A Western Fair expansion plan Gateway had proposed in 2018 included a $140 million casino, hotel, and restaurant complex, which would have had up to 1,200 slot machines and 46 gaming tables. Gateway said it would have created nearly 1,000 jobs.

However, the City of London, Western Fair District, and Gateway couldn’t agree on the terms, which is when the Wonderland site was brought into focus.

Gateway operates 27 casinos in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.