The Muskoka Regional Centre has been abandoned for almost 25 years, but there's a new deal to redevelop it.

The Town of Gravenhurst is working with a developer who wants to build a $100 million project centered on a Chinese-Canadian high school. The school could breathe new academic and economic life into Muskoka.

“Two hundred job odd jobs over a two year period, while it's being constructed; 200 plus jobs, permanent jobs once the school is open and operating,” says Glen Davies, CAO for the Town of Gravenhurst.

“The Bethune Maple Leaf Master Plan” calls for a boarding school, living area, gymnasium, parkland, and a potential condominium development.

The province still owns the centre and it must be demolished first. Developers are anxious to start.

“We want to start demolition in the spring; the spring this year so it comes down to timing in the transfer of the land between the province and the municipality,” says Alan Perlas, Knightstone Capital Management.

The school could house as many as 750 students with their families making regular trips to Gravenhurst.

“We've had Chinese visitors for years with the Bethune popularity. Our fall tour and we look forward to welcoming them all year round,” says Sandy Lockhard, Gravenhurst Chamber of Commerce.

Local businesses say the economic spinoff could be enormous.

“This will be huge to have year round industry of such volume employing so many people. It will be just great,” says Robbi Irvine, owner of Irvine’s Fine Food. “Local stores will get more business. They'll be able to hire more people. It's a good news story.”

Officials from the town say the deal is not complete just yet. The province still has to sign off on it, but if all goes as planned, the school should be built and ready to accept students for the 2019 school year.