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* Sun-Times…
As first reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, the Obama library, museum and presidential center will be located on Chicago’s South Side, with the University of Chicago bid beating out the competition for the massive project.
The Sun-Times has reported in several stories since April 14 that the Obama development was coming to the city. The official announcement will be made in Chicago by the Chicago-based Barack Obama Foundation in about two weeks, the Sun-Times has confirmed with several sources with direct knowledge of the rollout.
Though the decision to ratify the foundation recommendation was made by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle, the president is not expected to attend the announcement, for which planning has already begun, the Sun-Times was told by a source.
As the Sun-Times reported on April 14, the foundation, led by Obama friend Marty Nesbitt, will not announce until later this year whether the Obama complex will be located in Washington Park or Jackson Park. The parks are near the University of Chicago’s main Hyde Park campus.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday afternoon will sign the bill making it harder to legally challenge the construction of the Obama presidential library complex and the Lucas Museum.
“I am very excited about it. I look forward to signing it,” Rauner told the Sun-Times.
“I plan to sign it this afternoon as soon as I get back to Springfield,” he added. “The bill obviously makes it easier to get the Obama Library in Chicago. And I think the president’s library will be a very benefit to the state of Illinois and to the city of Chicago and I am very supportive of that.”
Likewise, he said, “I also think the Lucas museum will be a big benefit to the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago and I am supportive of that.”
*** UPDATE *** The governor issued a “video statement”...
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 1, 15 @ 10:27 am
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It is going to be as popular as the Douglas monument!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, May 1, 15 @ 10:41 am
An insider deal to give away public land? Of course Governor Rauner can’t wait to sign it!
Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 1, 15 @ 10:57 am
Not a bad neighbor of the Museum of Science and Industry, and the UC. It will get traffic. The Clinton Library is not as well-located in Little Rock, but was packed one weekday this April when I dropped by.
Comment by walker Friday, May 1, 15 @ 10:59 am
I disagree V Man. In fact, I think having the Obama Library in Chicago is a lot more important to many Chicagoans that it is to Obama himself. He consider a number of other places. His supporters in Chicago never considered it should be anywhere else.
Comment by A guy Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:02 am
I am happy to have the library, but I don’t know why it needs to be the first Presidential Library totally financed by public money. Couldn’t Ken Griffin and friends give a portion of their Rauner and Rahm donations to pay for it.
The Lucas Museum is horrendous and again it’s an insider deal that we will regret, especially if it ushers in a whole slate of buildings on what had been protected land.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:19 am
Didn’t Quinn pledge some Illinois tax dollars to it? I hope they have an exhibit set aside for his birth certificate and college transcripts.
Comment by Tequila Mockingbird Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:20 am
Pretty sure there is no public money going towards the construction.
Comment by Juice Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:30 am
==I don’t know why it needs to be the first Presidential Library totally financed by public money==
Where did you read that it would? My understanding is this bill had nothing to do with financing, but merely giving the project added legal protection.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:37 am
I hope I’m wrong on this, but I thought many months ago that the legislature had approved $100 million to construct this, which would be wrong on many levels.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:41 am
===I hope I’m wrong on this===
You are.
Try the Google, people.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:42 am
Shouldn’t the Lucas thing be in a basement somewhere?
Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:47 am
From Google: In Illinois, there is no danger that extra cash will be squandered, because there is no extra cash. But state legislators know you can’t be too careful. So they are considering approving $100 million for the Barack Obama presidential library. Without that promise, House Speaker Michael Madigan fears, the president might put his monument somewhere else — Hawaii or New York or maybe Nairobi
Comment by No loser Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:55 am
“Considering” does not mean “passed”
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 15 @ 12:00 pm
Nothing should be on public land
I am also upset that they did not leave room for more roads and trains when they built up the area.
Keep public lands public. This is sad.
For me it has nothing to do with the individuals. I like Star Wars and voted for Obama both times for President but we need to keep public land public.
This is a travesty and disgraceful.
Build them somewhere else in Chicago.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 15 @ 12:28 pm
Glad the Obama Library will be located in Chicago (where it should be). Scoring a Presidential library is a huge deal notwithstanding anyone’s political opinion of the individual. I suspect it will become a premiere tourist attraction.
Comment by Stones Friday, May 1, 15 @ 12:33 pm
I think there was always a degree of asymmetry in this matter: Chicago landing the Obama library isn’t a very big deal, but Chicago not getting the Obama library would have been a huge deal.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Friday, May 1, 15 @ 12:36 pm
==Nothing should be on public land…Keep public lands public. This is sad.==
You know what other non-profit institutions are on public land in Chicago? Off the top of my head Field, Science & Industry, Art Institute, Chicago History, DuSable… The POTUS library is going to be a great institution in a beautiful park that is under appreciated and will finally draw tourists to the neighborhood.
==I am also upset that they did not leave room for more roads and trains when they built up the area.==
I’ll be sure the World’s Fair organizers are made aware of your complaint.
==The Lucas Museum is horrendous and again it’s an insider deal that we will regret, especially if it ushers in a whole slate of buildings on what had been protected land==
Mostly agree with you on concern with the Lucas Museum. But in the particular instance the “protected land” is a surface parking lot that sits vacant with the exception of 10 Bears games and a handful of concerts. Anything would likely be an improvement.
Comment by Jimmy CrackCorn Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:05 pm
It’s a good day for Illinois. It really started to seem like this one was going to New York. Good on the city and state to bring it home.
All that is left is for his former mentor to work in a 10% diversion of ticket sales to Chicago State and we’re done here.
Comment by Dirty Red Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:10 pm
Ambivalent about the Obama presidency but do believe the library should be in Chicago, and will be a nice addition to U of C area. The Lucas museum is a big improvement over the crappy parking lot it’s replacing. The design is terrible so far hoping for a big improvement there.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:12 pm
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:05 pm:
You are wrong and arrogant
Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:41 pm
“As first reported in the Sun-Times,….”
Really? Good thing you led with that, otherwise I wouldnt have caught it, since it’s only restated in every single paragraph of the story.
That’s some touchdown dance, Lynn, but, geez act like you’ve been there before.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:51 pm
Four extra exclamation points does nothing to help your case. (And the construction money is being privately raised, what are you, some kind of Socialist?)
Comment by Juice Friday, May 1, 15 @ 1:59 pm
==- No loser - Friday, May 1, 15 @ 11:55 am:==
Are you that dense and stupid or just an unrepentant liar?
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=HB&DocNum=6010&GAID=12&SessionID=85&LegID=81438
Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, May 1, 15 @ 2:01 pm
PC, bet on all three.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 15 @ 2:04 pm
I am absolutely overjoyed by the news. This is a great “get” for the city and state, as the library will be a historical monument (first African-American president), and it will bring great economic benefit to Chicago. It will draw people from all over the world. Its economic benefits will so far exceed its costs.
I hope the Lucas museum comes also, as it too will be great for tourism and the economy.
I must praise and thank Gov. Rauner for this also, in that he is not holding this up for political gain.
And they want us to be like Indiana? LOL! We will grow jobs our own way, without right to work.
Yes, I know, polls shmolls, but Hillary Clinton has been leading all Republicans by significant/substantial margins this early. It looks very good for her, and she is from the Chicago area. It would be great to get the library for the first female president also.
Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, May 1, 15 @ 2:11 pm
It seems like there’s a lot of room at the (closed) michael reese hospital complex. And a train station nearby at 27th street.
Comment by NoGifts Friday, May 1, 15 @ 2:29 pm
Looks to me like they wanted to spend $100 million of our tax dollars. I think you are all three.
Comment by No Loser Friday, May 1, 15 @ 3:29 pm
(Bangs head on desk) It didn’t even get a floor vote. If Madigan wanted to do it, he would have at least sent it over to the Senate. He was posturing, it’s really not that difficult to understand.
Comment by Juice Friday, May 1, 15 @ 3:46 pm
===it’s really not that difficult to understand.===
Apparently, it is for some.
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 15 @ 3:47 pm
You wonder if some people will miraculously become sane in January 2017.
I doubt it. That ODS has put some beyond all reason and hope.
Comment by Wordslinger Friday, May 1, 15 @ 4:27 pm