Ian Fleming Foundation eyeing Illinois facility for James Bond museum

The Ian Fleming Foundation is considering potential locations for a James Bond museum that would display the numerous vehicles used in the popular films and may have found suitable location in a former Momence auto dealership in Illinois.

My Web Times reports that Doug Redenius, a Momence post office employee and the vice president of the Ian Fleming Foundation, has addressed Momence aldermen about using the former Case Motor Sales dealership near the intersection of Illinois Route 1 and Illinois 114 on the city”s south side to display the 007 vehicles valued at $5 million.

The non-profit Fleming foundation owns 32 original James Bond vehicles, many of which are currently stored in Momence already. However, because there is no single place to put them all on display, they are all currently closed to the public.

‘Did I ever envision something like this would be right here in our backyard? No,’ Redenius said of the dealership facility. ‘It’s a perfect facility. There is certainly room.’ He added that there was no firm timetable for a decision set and that the foundation would not be interested in operating a museum. ‘This was only a first step.’

At the moment, the 5,000-square-foot building is currently owned by the city and is the home of the Momence Community Center, which is available to rent for parties or gatherings. If it was indeed turned into a museum dedicated to 007, it’s unclear exactly how many of the vehicles would be put on display.

Redenius estimated that 30,000 to 40,000 people would visit the museum in its first year. ‘… There are different degrees of Bond fans just like there are with anything. But the number of people that are familiar with Bond is very large.’

Momence Mayor Mick Porter said this is a perfect opportunity for Momence and one he wants to continue exploring. ‘This is international, it just is,’ he stated. ‘We are always thinking of what we can do to bring Momence to its fullest potential. This can be a step.’

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