Hoax sign gets New Mexico residents hungry for Cheesecake Factory

June 5 (UPI) -- The owners of a construction site in a New Mexico city have bad news for hungry locals: A sign saying the building will be a Cheesecake Factory was a prank.

Social media was alight during the weekend with posts from Las Cruces residents excited by a sign on the fence outside the construction site promoting a Cheesecake Factory location supposedly opening in "Fall 2017," but the sign turned out to be a hoax.

City officials confirmed the site is under construction to become a standalone emergency room affiliated with MountainView Regional Medical Center.

Veronica Peery, director of marketing and business development for MountainView, assured the public that plans for the site have not changed.

A previous prank at the same location in April featured a sign claiming the site was the future home of a Dave & Busters.

"We're excited that the community is engaged in the growth and new projects happening in Las Cruces," Peery told the Las Cruces Sun-News. "We look forward to providing emergency care in Northeast Las Cruces at our new, free-standing emergency department coming this fall."

There might be some hope for disappointed foodies -- officials with the Cheesecake Factory's corporate parent didn't rule out the possibility of a future location in Las Cruces.

"Our restaurant development team is always on the lookout for A-1 sites to further grow The Cheesecake Factory brand presence and all sites that fit our criteria for success will be seriously considered," said Aletha Rowe, senior director of public relations.

Las Cruces police said the pranksters behind the hoax sign could face charges if the owners of the construction site decide to pursue a case.