BURLINGTON, Vt. — Dealer.com is expanding its facilities by almost 50,000 square feet and plans to add 200 new jobs by the end of next year, the company revealed Friday during a press conference with state and local leaders present. 

The company's Burlington, Vt., headquarters is a 63,000-square-foot LEED-certified building that includes such employee amenities as an organic café and complex. 

Dealer.com is taking over the 47,360-square-foot space that was previously the Lake Champlain Chocolates factory's packaging and distribution facility.  

Officials emphasized that the current factory and retail location of Lake Champlain Chocolates will stay on Pine Street, the same street in Burlington at which Dealer.com is headquartered.

The new facility is expected to be cemented by January. Officials stress that this time table hinges on local and state permits as well as related economic incentives. 

Moreover, Dealer.com anticipates hiring 200 more employees to add to the more than 300 Vermonters already working for the company. 

"From the beginning, we set out to create a unique, fun and enterprising culture in order to develop and attract the best and brightest talent in the industry," stated Mark Bonfigli, the company's founder and chief executive officer, during the press conference.

Also on hand for the press conference were U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas; Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie; and Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss, who all spoke.

"Our innovative environment with its green culture, employee wellness programs, training & career initiatives and great benefits have made Dealer.com a driving economic force in Vermont," Bonfigli added.