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SHELBY, N.C. -- Carolinas Healthcare System will pay Cleveland County more than $100 million to take over the properties and operations of the Cleveland County Healthcare System, which includes Cleveland Regional Medical Center and Kings Mountain Hospital.

Local leaders met with hospital executives Friday to celebrate the renewed commitment.

"It's an expanded relationship to become more fully integrated," said Carolinas Healthcare System president Joe Piedmont.

CHS will also take over the real estate for the county health department and mental health center, but the county will continue to operate those facilities. An initial $23 million from CHS will help pay for a new health department building.

"If the 23 year lease were to expire, there could be some questions about what is the next step. The questions are now answered," said Brian Gwyn, president of Cleveland County Healthcare System. "We have the Carolinas Healthcare System in our local community and we're very excited about that."

Officials say this merger will likely result in more specialty programs in Cleveland County and open patients up to the network of experts the healthcare giant has to offer.

"There's lots going on in telemedicine, lots going on in information technology as well as clinical advancements that we can now deliver as a team, remotely and locally, as opposed to making people travel for healthcare," said Piedmont.

"Having a thriving healthcare system is one of the most critical components of a community, in terms of their ability to attract new industry," Kristin Fletcher, with the Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership, said.

Carolinas Healthcare System began managing Cleveland Regional Medical Center and Kings Mountain Hospital in 1994.

CHS, the largest healthcare system in the Carolinas and the second-largest public system in the nation, has more than 48,000 full- and part-time employees and 1,500 physicians.