After nearly two decades of delays, a big project along the Detroit River is poised to open.

The new $21.5 million Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority project is scheduled to open in June.

Located on the riverfront between Hart Plaza and the Renaissance Center, the facility will serve as the headquarters for the port authority, with about seven employees.

A 96-passenger cruise ship will be the 1st to dock there in July. The Grande Mariner will make an overnight stop during a July 15-23 cruise, then again sometime between July 25 and Aug. 3 cruise.

Ferry service between Detroit and Windsor is also being explored. Supporters of a ferry service say there is already a built-in demand from tourists, as well as from commuters who work or go to school in one country and live in the other.

County Officials hope the project helps will create a new era of tourism as part of a broader effort to improve Detroit’s waterfront.

Each year, several cruise ships sail the Great Lakes and stop in cities such as Toronto and Chicago. With the port authority expansion, cruise ships will be able to stop in Detroit for the first time.