Sale of Downtown San Antonio Bar Ends Eminent Domain Case

An eminent domain case involving a bar in downtown San Antonio has been resolved.

Vince Cantu, owner of Moses Rose’s Hideout at 516 East Houston Street, has agreed to sell the bar to the Alamo Trust, a nonprofit that oversees the Alamo, the San Antonio Report reported. Cantu must vacate the property by Aug. 15 as part of the agreement.

City officials and the Alamo Trust have been fighting to acquire the property for years as part of its $504 million plan to redevelop the Alamo Plaza. The agreement ends a messy case of eminent domain — a tactic in which a government entity can take private property for public use through payment or another form of compensation.

“I am happy to see an amicable resolution and look forward to preserving this significant memorial of Texas heritage,” Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham told the outlet.

In May, the City of San Antonio sued Cantu after rejecting multiple offers and staving off the acquisition. The final sale price was not disclosed, and it’s tough to speculate the amount, given the roller coaster of negotiations.

The city made an initial offer of $2 million in July 2020, but the two sides were nowhere close to a deal, as Cantu valued his property at nearly $17 million. In March, the city upped the offer to $4 million plus relocation expenses and it made a final offer of $5.26 million in April. Cantu countered with a $6 million ask, plus $4 million for the loss of his business. The lawsuit ensued.

The redeveloped Alamo museum, set to open in 2026, entails repurposing the historic Crockett and Woolworth buildings. Moses Rose’s Hideout, located around the corner from the Woolworth, will be converted into exhibit space and a loading dock.

“We are proud that with the help of our many supporters, we were able to make an agreement with the State of Texas, which made continued eminent domain litigation unnecessary at this sacred site of Texas Independence,” Cantu’s attorney, Dan Eldredge, told the outlet.

—Quinn Donoghue