In the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France, the mayor of Sanary sur Mer, Ferdinand Bernhard, recently laid the symbolic first stone for the foundation of a future casino slated to open on November 1, 2018.

G3 Newswire reports that Vikings Casinos, a subsidiary of the Vikings Group, will operate the future casino, which will be situated on an approximate 3.7-acre plot of land located adjacent to Bois du Colombet. Planned for 2019, a road interchange will facilitate access between Toulon and Marseille. Construction is expected to last about a year, with the opening scheduled for the 1st of November next year.

The news agency further reports the Vikings Group, based in Falaise in Normandy, is looking to stand out among its competitors by building a facility that will blend with the environment. For this reason, the casino will feature a green roof, wooden terrace and stones will be used for the walls, all meant to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

The total floor area of the facility will be approximately 27,447 square feet, 5,381 of which will be utilized for the games room; 6,027 square feet will house a theater; 1,937 square feet for the piano bar and 2,464 square feet will be used for the restaurant area, which will accommodate 96 people for inside dining and 60 for al fresco dining on the terrace.

In addition to gaming, the casino will host a minimum of 35 cultural events per year, including a trio of national shows. A hotel is planned within four to five years of the casino’s completion, with an estimated cost of €8.3m (US$9,660,149).

G3 Newswire reports that the total estimated cost of the casino-hotel complex at build-out is €30m (US$34 858,59m) and Stéphane Hourcastagnou will serve as the facility’s Casino Director.

Founded in 1998, Vikings Casinos now operates 13 casinos in France.