Spam Museum likely to relocate in downtown Austin
Published 7:00 pm Saturday, May 10, 2014
AUSTIN — The Spam Museum seems to be headed downtown.
Multiple sources confirm Hormel Foods Corp. is in the final stages of a deal to move the Spam Museum from its location at 1101 N. Main St. to the so-called “fire site” at the 300 block of North Main Street in downtown Austin. Sources say the museum would also occupy the adjacent Plaza Bar/Ciola’s building, which encompasses 119-121 Third Ave. NE, all of which is owned by the Austin Port Authority.
Hormel spokespeople declined to comment.
Multiple sources, including city leaders, business owners and Hormel employees, indicate a deal is all but done. The sources declined to be quoted on the record as the deal has yet to be completed.
Yet Austin’s Community Development Director Craig Hoium said no business deal has been signed to sell the property. Hoium didn’t confirm whether Hormel Foods officials were looking to buy the fire site but said the city and port authority had been in talks with several parties interested in the site over the past few months.
“There’s been various considerations for that property,” Hoium said. “There’s a lot of times you think deals are going to happen, and they don’t materialize.”
Med City Mobility owner Bob Elwood confirmed the business will move from the Plaza Bar/Ciola’s building but said the move was still months away.
Elwood said he has been told a developer will take over his site at 111 Third Ave. NE and the fire site, but he doesn’t know who it is. Med City will move near the Mower County Senior Center, according to Elwood.
The Spam Museum is Austin’s largest tourism attraction and features the signature Hormel meat invented in 1937.
The museum opened in 2001.