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Sen. Amy Klobuchar was in Austin Friday afternoon to tour the new early childhood education center, currently being built in northwest Austin, across from Worlein Funeral Home.

Klobuchar met with officials from Hormel Food Corps, which is building the facility, and city leaders before a tour of the $5 million, 13,000 square foot facility.

What she saw was a facility that not only meets childcare needs in the city of Austin, but is also an example of how to keep economic growth trending in the right direction.

“I really look at this as, if we want to keep Minnesota moving in the right direction in terms of our economy expanding and making sure that we have success not just in big cities, but also in communities like Austin and Albert Lea, then we have to make sure we have a way to take care of kids,” Klobuchar said. “If you don’t have a place to bring your kids, then you’re not going to be able to take that job.”

Hormel broke ground on the center, which will have room for 130 children, in May of last year.  Angie Bissen, manager of Human Resources Business Partners, said Friday that construction is on pace to be wrapped up toward the end of April.

Of the 130 slots, at least half of the facility will be dedicated to children under two years old, including 16 infants.

“We’re so excited to bring another option for child care to the Austin community,” Bissen said. “Part of a vibrant community is being able to provide quality child care and a variety of options for families. Child care is a very personal choice.

Bissen reiterated that priority will be given to Hormel employees and that pricing will be competitive to the area, however, that also means that the center will run at a deficit each year.

“That’s where Hormel Foods comes in and we’re helping to pay that operating loss each year to keep this center open in Austin,” Bissen said.

Local government entities helped play a part in lessening that burden for the community. Both the City of Austin and Mower County granted 15-year tax abatements for the facility, while Austin Public Schools granted a five-year abatement.

Klobuchar said this model of a company and community coming together has worked in other places and it is a model she hopes to be a part of going forward.

“We’ve seen this model work in other places as well around the country,” she said. “I’m really interested in it because we want to figure out what policies we can put in place to really incentivize these private partnerships with daycare facilities to make this work the best in the future.”

“These guys did it without some brand new shiny policy because they care about the community so much, but I think there is more we can do to use this model,” she added.

Klobuchar’s stop Friday was part of an 87-county tour of the state. To date, she has made a stop in 14 of those counties.