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* He’s been unsuccessfully trying to give this thing away for years, first to San Francisco, now to Chicago…
The Lucas Museum saga in Chicago has ended.
Lucas Museum officials announced Friday they are dropping plans to build the project in Chicago, ending months of debate and controversy.
Plans to build the museum housing a collection of “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ art collection have been on hold since November 2014, when the group Friends of the Parks filed a federal lawsuit blocking construction. The parks group argues the museum plans violate the public trust doctrine, benefit a private interest more than the state’s residents and tarnish the city’s lakefront.
Lucas selected Chicago after plans to build the museum in San Francisco were rejected. Lucas’ wife, financial executive Mellody Hobson, is a Chicago native.
* Press release…
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announced today that in light of extensive delays caused by Friends of the Parks, Chicago will no longer be considered a potential site for the museum. The board of directors and executive leadership of the museum confirmed that California will be its future home.
“No one benefits from continuing their seemingly unending litigation to protect a parking lot,” said George W. Lucas, founder and chairman of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. “The actions initiated by Friends of Parks and their recent attempts to extract concessions from the city have effectively overridden approvals received from numerous democratically elected bodies of government.”
The location — a parking lot near Soldier Field — was originally selected by Chicago’s Site Selection Task Force in May 2014 and subsequently approved by the City Council, Park District, Plan Commission, Department of Zoning, Illinois General Assembly and the governor. When the city offered McCormick Place East as an alternative to the parking lot, Friends of the Parks announced plans to block consideration of that location as well as any lakefront site or park in Chicago.
On behalf of his wife, Mellody Hobson, and other members of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art Board of Directors, Mr. Lucas expressed gratitude to the many people throughout the community who worked tirelessly to bring the institution to life on Chicago’s Museum Campus. “We are deeply appreciative to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Governor Bruce Rauner and countless others for all the time and effort they invested in trying to secure the museum for Chicago,” said Mr. Lucas.
The education-focused public institution remains dedicated to expanding public understanding and appreciation of narrative art in all its forms, providing inspiration and learning, especially for young people.
Mr. Lucas stated, “While Chicago will not be home to the museum, my wife and I will continue to enthusiastically support a wide variety of educational and cultural activities throughout the city.”
* Mayor Emanuel…
“Two years ago to the day, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson announced that they had chosen Chicago as the site of their incredible legacy investment. The opportunity for a City to gain a brand new museum is rare, and this particular opportunity – a gift worth approximately $1.5 billion – would have been the largest philanthropic contribution in Chicago’s history.
Unfortunately, time has run out and the moment we’ve consistently warned about has arrived – Chicago’s loss will be another city’s gain. This missed opportunity has not only cost us what will be a world-class cultural institution, it has cost thousands of jobs for Chicago workers, millions of dollars in economic investment and countless educational opportunities for Chicago’s youth.
Despite widespread support of the project from Chicago’s cultural, business, labor, faith and community leaders and the public, a legal challenge filed by Friends of the Parks threatened to derail this once-in-a-generation opportunity.
We tried to find common ground to resolve the lawsuit – the sole barrier preventing the start of the museum’s construction. But despite our best efforts to negotiate a common solution that would keep this tremendous cultural and economic asset in Chicago, Friends of the Parks chose to instead negotiate with themselves while Lucas negotiated with cities on the West Coast.”
*** UPDATE *** Friends of the Parks…
It is unfortunate that the Lucas Museum has made the decision to leave Chicago rather than locate the museum on one of the several alternative sites that are not on Chicago’s lakefront. That would have been the true win-win.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:55 am
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Yea, he got on a plane two weeks ago and hasn’t looked back. This was just a formality.
Comment by Ok Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:56 am
…and the parking lot will remain a parking lot. Parks win?
Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:00 pm
But we protected that parking lot! Go us!
Comment by so... Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:02 pm
A victory for the .01% of Chicagoans who visit that “lakefront land” (if you can call it that) maybe 1-2 times a year. What’s young person unemployment in the city again? What is it for minorities again? Thanks folks, ESPECIALLY for not timely embracing the McCormick East proposal that would have INCREASED public lakefront land. Every time the tiny fraction of people ever jog or bike past that eyesore, we’ll think of you.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:06 pm
If it was just a giveaway that would be one thing. It’s more like he’s been trying to get some city to publicly subsidize much of this thing. We’ll see if anyone takes him up on it.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:06 pm
What in God’s name is “narrative art?”
Comment by Lenny Bruce Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:07 pm
So a multi-millionaire is taking his toys and going home because he believes the law (or in this case the public trust doctrine) doesn’t apply to him.
There are lots of viable places to build the museum in Chicago which would have provided jobs AND not disrupted the lakefront.
Good Riddance to Lucas
Comment by GOOD RIDDANCE Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:07 pm
Lenny - whatever it is, people have valued it at a billion dollars (I don’t know if Rahm is inflating the value to 1.5 or if the $500 million is the value of the proposed building).
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:08 pm
No museum,, no summer Olympics this year.. these Chicagoan’s sure know how to ward off,,, cultural events that benefit all who work here,,live there.. in this state,, the alderman rather have giant beer parties in certain neighborhoods,, instead of investing in all.. park police, rather just keep a vacant parking lot,, than invest in culture for all,,dumbarses.. Robin Robinson said it best last night,, what are you doing to get involved ? to help all,, VS ALIENATE all
Comment by sharkette Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:12 pm
Admittedly I’m not up to speed on exactly what Chicago would have given up to get this thing.
And I’m not sure what narrative art is either.
But I’m guessing the gift shop revenues from the neckbearded nerds who idolize this guy’s movies could have been a nice chunk of change.
Comment by BluegrassBoy Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:12 pm
Lucas is like a spoiled petulant child — it was all about him from the start, had to be his way or no way. Glad some people understand the value of the lakefront and were willing to fight this project in self-glorification. Yes, good riddance indeed!
Comment by Just Chilling Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:15 pm
==Chicago’s loss will be another city’s gain==
I say this thing never gets built. Anywhere. Any place that Lucas would accept won’t have it and any place that would have it Lucas won’t accept.
Anyone think differently?
Comment by LizPhairTax Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:17 pm
Have to agree with Rahm on this one. Very, very sorry to see the Lucas museum along with all the potential tourism dollars and job opportunities gone from Chicago.
Comment by Responsa Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:17 pm
=What in God’s name is “narrative art?”=
A way to sell an unpopular 99-year-plus public land-grab for a museum dedicated to a sci-fi movie and a handful of paintings.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKA Sue) Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:17 pm
===ESPECIALLY for not timely embracing the McCormick East proposal that would have INCREASED public lakefront land.===
Another county heard from.
This would have also increased MPEA debt by a billion or two. Everybody uses the lakefront too, you should visit some time and see for yourself.
Why didn’t Waukegan make a pitch for it? You could have put it up near the old Johns Manville site, right on the lake.
Somehow I think Chicago will survive without this “education-focused public institution.” Good riddance.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:17 pm
with those “friends of the parks” who needs enemies. just what have they accomplished by this? I can’t wait to hear the victory speech.
Comment by DPGumby Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:18 pm
Wow.
First, the governor threatens to leave and then George Lucas actually does….
Maybe there IS a God.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKA Sue) Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:21 pm
Not to worry. The crony contractors and unions who would’ve got the work will just be handed some other ridiculous boondoggle with a fat budget from an insolvent city.
New publically funded basketball stadium for a private school (DePaul) anyone?
Comment by Illinois Bob Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:22 pm
A part of the problem with this entire controversy is an ignorance of whom it would appeal to. But the answer to that is pretty straightforward to anyone who has children born since, say, the mid-eighties like I do, and anyone who has ever bothered to look at the credits of any Lucas or James Cameron movie, let alone the fan base.
Those “neckbearded nerds” are just the hairy tip of a well-monied iceberg. This is a huge loss for a city and state that needed the revenue and the increased ‘destination’ value.
On the other hand, given the Illinois Governor’s incessant droning on about how terrible and corrupt the City of Chicago is, that anyone would make an investment in the City is amazing. Good job, Bruce! You and the Friends of the Park can sip some thousand dollar a glass wine on your veranda in Wilmette to commemorate a job well done. Fools.
Comment by Springfieldish Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:22 pm
In other local news, Mayor Richard M. Daley is lamenting the economic impact of the Olympics going to Rio. This is the equivalent.
Comment by jack28 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:23 pm
47th - I visit it all the time: the reason I bike the south lakefront path is because how empty it is.
Again, what’s young African-American unemployment rate in the City of Chicago?
Waukegan did make a pitch for it. http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-waukegan-lucas-museum-st-0505-20160504-story.html
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:25 pm
Springfieldish - exactly. Nobody thought Navy Pier was going to become mega-successful either. Even if there aren’t that many sci-fi nerds out there, it would have added to the critical mass of tourist attractions. The McCormick East site might have kicked up some momentum for adding more attactions on the south side (the Obama Presidential Museum and Library coming next).
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:28 pm
Has anyone seen the collection? My understanding is reporters have asked to see it and been blown off. Just curious.
Comment by jeffinginchicago Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:28 pm
Can we instead relocate the Donald E. Stephens Museum of Hummel Figurines to the lakefront from Rosemont? Think of the jobs.
Comment by Put the Fun in unfunded Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:30 pm
LCD, what makes you think that building the Lucas museum would have done anything to lower the unemployment rate of young African-Americans?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:31 pm
Literally and figuratively, a Hobson’s choice.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:31 pm
Mellody Hobson’s over the top comment really grinded my gears. Good riddance.
Comment by Yak Meat With Mayo Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:35 pm
Friends of the Parks I believe has made a real mistake in their strategy…rather than agree in principle to the museum, then quibble on it’s green space design, they opted for no to all. The spirit of Daniel Burnham does exist in and around Chicago, although much has been altered or retrofitted to acknowledge the needs of today. The executive staff of FOTP I believe were and are short sighted, and set apart from what their advocacy should be - support for all parks, public access and valuable openspace for all to use. The existing museum campus sits upon the same footprint - essentially - that the 1893 exposition comprised…today, much of that same land is occupied by different buildings and roads, though some still remain, yet the lakefront is accessible to all.
Comment by Captain Illini Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:36 pm
==LCD, what makes you think that building the Lucas museum would have done anything to lower the unemployment rate of young African-Americans?==
In fact, explicitly including such jobs in the negotiations is part of what ended them.
Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:37 pm
Da Daleys woulda got it done. Sheeeesh!
Comment by Sheesh Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:38 pm
Terrible news for Chicago. We get a parking lot instead of art and parks.
Comment by Ron Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:39 pm
The “Narrative Arts” pinnacle: neckbeard money will trickle down!
Comment by crazybleedingheart Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:39 pm
Adios George.
As the citizens of Chicago, celebrate not having to deal with the chaos and absurd debt from the ll-fated Olympics (see Greek economy), we can now say have have also passed the hurdle of not paying to build your museum.
Comment by Belle Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:39 pm
Narrative Art tells a story. Could be a comic book but I assume the term refers to the items from his movies.
Comment by Redbright Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:41 pm
Put the fun:
I though that was Emanuel’s complete economic strategy: let’s try to move some jobs from the suburbs.
Difference is that Brad Stephens doesn’t need the donation of Chicago public property.
Comment by jack28 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:41 pm
Hopefully this is just brinkmanship?
Otherwise, thanks a lot FOTP. So stupid and pointless to lose this. People’s blind anti-Rahm, anti-Chicago positions just cost the city something that would have been very cool on a spot that is currently an unused eyesore. What to go, activist Chicago.
Comment by Ben Gazzara Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:42 pm
First time in my life I agree with a Sandack tweet.
Comment by northsider (the original) Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:45 pm
47th and Crazy:
That’s an interesting way to spin the question: the place would have employed people including young people (I see lots of young employees at the museum of science and industry for example) - I don’t think it has to decrease the rate (and by what - a point? A tenth of a point? How many jobs/lives do we need)?
That said, my answer to the question is that it would impact the local economy by brining more tourist dollars, both directly (the “nerds” who make it a destination) and indirectly (by adding to the tourism magnet and “freshening” our attractions).
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:47 pm
=Has anyone seen the collection?=
Use the google.
You can view the entire collection in less than 30 seconds.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKA Sue) Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:50 pm
PS With an added lakefront casino and some express train service to Chicago, the Waukegan location might have worked. I’m not predicting a Waukegan renassaince but it has potential.
My prediction: it will be built somewhere and the visitor count will not be trivial.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:51 pm
Whatever positives there could have been for the city, Lucas and Rahm handled it so poorly that I’m glad it died. Lucas acted like a petulant child throughout, demanding the most choice real estate despite the obvious legal impediment, and not ever actually giving the collection to the museum, making it apparent this was a monument to one man rather than a gift to the city. And as always, Rahm rammed it through without real cooperation or a full airing of the impacts (including never even releasing plans for the monstrous parking garage that would have been required immediately west of LSD to hold the cars it displaced.) Glad it’s over.
Comment by ChicagoR Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 12:57 pm
Rahm,
Just did an *internet search* for R2D2 keychains and got 300 million hits. Maybe when your out of office you can sell some trinkets before Bears games in the parking lot.
Why didnt you offer to put the Han Solo store on old Michael Reese site?
Comment by Delbert Grady Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:00 pm
With Lucas Films now owned my Disney, why not build it in Orlando?
Comment by Doug Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:02 pm
Where is Bruce going to put the Museum for Bedpan Arts?
Comment by Delbert Grady Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:02 pm
===That said, my answer to the question is that it would impact the local economy by brining more tourist dollars,===
It could have done that if they located it off the lake too. Why was this so location-specific? Michael Reese would have worked. The old Finkl steel site would have worked. There are plenty of locations away from the lake that could have been perfect for this kind of development, that actually need this kind of development.
Why didn’t they consider non-lakefront options? Because ego.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:04 pm
Couldnt we sell toy lightsabers at the new Publicly Funded Arena for a Private University going up nearby?
Comment by Delbert Grady Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:05 pm
“with those “friends of the parks” who needs enemies.”
FOP did in the Lincoln Park Gun Club back in the ’90s. Now if they would just get rid of those private yacht clubs that are on public property … oh wait, they are probably members. Nuts.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:10 pm
Jackson Park or Washington Park Lucas in one Obama in the other. Would that have flown? Think of the jobs think of the children.
Comment by jimk849 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:12 pm
Lesson learned. When rich elitists fight over land there are no winners.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:19 pm
Much anger in this one.
Comment by Yoda by the Lake Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:23 pm
The reason I have been opposed to the Lucas Museum was the $$, and a seeming inability of Rahm and Lucas — and even the mainstream press — to provide transparency. Rahm’s claims (which are also restated at website devoted to the museum) that the cost to taxpayers would be $0.00 seemed to fly in the face of the disclosure I saw in Crain’s (financing would require 1.2 billion in bew debt to the city, and also sdiscussion of diverting revenues from the city’s “Entertainment Tax” to help pay for this. To pay for what? The building? The construction? I was able to learn that the maintenance on the building would be up to the city — gulp. Finally, no one ever seemed to want to discuss where INCOMING revenues would go. That made me suspect that any entrance fees, concessions, and the receipt money from all of those terrific Lego models of the Millenium Falcons might go into George’s pocket, and not the city’s coffers. Hmmm. I never once saw a disclosure of this. And, I noticed that the mainstream press never seemed to ask those questions. (I know, I know, it’s just a parking lot…) This is why I was opposed — a lack of full disclosure. Aside from that, the fact that it was also another architectural nightmare in that setting makes me doubly happy today.
Comment by Justin Observer Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Billionaires don’t invest personally $700 million in a monument to themselves and place it randomly at an old steel or at an abandoned asbestos mill in the suburbs. That being said, I am not so sure why everybody is looking for a scapegoat here, though.
The museum, if it had been built, probably would have been nice and it would have generated a few jobs and some tax revenue. The Lincoln Presidential Museum and Navy Pier were both mocked, too, but both turned out to be good things for their respective communities. Lucas, because it is his museum and he is willing to spend more on it than the Cubs or Sox or Bears did on their stadiums, understandably wants to choose a scenic location somewhere. Friends of the Park were correct to fight for the sanctity of the lakefront to prevent it from being overrun by development in the long run (See the current state of Northwest Indiana). Even if they hadn’t challenged it in court, any citizen of the State of Illinois could have, and I assume someone would have. None of the previous statements have to be false for the other to be true. Why must always someone be a monster?
By the way, the 1893 Worlds fair was down in Jackson Park, not on the what is now the Museum Campus.
Comment by Benniefly2 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Another example of the sorry State of Illinois!!!
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:30 pm
Sorry — keyboard hiccups — above. “in bew debt to the city, and also sdiscussion” should read “…in new debt to the city, and also discussion…”
Comment by Justin Observer Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:32 pm
I am glad Emmanuel took this blow. I am tired of him entertaining Ari’s friends. It takes no effort to give tax credits to lure businesses. I am tired of watching him provide better security to the NFL draft than blighted neighborhoods, NATO summits with more police than Kenwood and breaking ground with DeNero.
Comment by LakeviewNick Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:37 pm
Followup — to the above… I fully expect we will hear very soon an exciting announcement of how the city is planning to build a new stadium, for a private University, not too far from McCormick Place. The head of that university is reportedly a another very good friend of someone we all are familiar with… won;t mention any names, but his initials are Rahm Emmanual. Will be watching very closely to see where the $$ is expected to come from… –and what (if any) revenue real revenue will return to the city’s coffers…
Comment by Justin Observer Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:40 pm
===no summer Olympics this year===
Looking at Rio and Brazil’s problems at the moment, I think you can safely say the city and state dodged a bullet there.
Especially since public money would have inevitably been spent on building the facilities.
Comment by Graduated College Student Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:46 pm
Good riddance! I’m sure Burnham is smiling up there. And Lucas sounds like a spoiled brat.
Comment by anon Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:02 pm
Oh boy. Illinois; we don’t just look gift horses in the mouth, we kick them in the teeth. Ugh.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:03 pm
===Billionaires don’t invest personally $700 million in a monument to themselves===
Did we ever get a breakdown of that figure? I assumed it included the “value” of the collection too, not simply the cost of construction. I’ve never believed that Lucas’ direct cash investment would ever come close to $700 million.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:08 pm
– By the way, the 1893 Worlds fair was down in Jackson Park, not on the what is now the Museum Campus. –
And coincidentally is home to a very well attended museum which is west of Lake Shore Drive and not immediately on the lakefront.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:43 pm
ck: Because…Madigan! /s
The opposition to the museum really was penny-wise, and pound-foolish. I’m really sorry they won.
Comment by Independent Retired Lawyer Journalist Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:44 pm
Wow, the reaction is near “leaver” v. “remainer” volume.
Comment by Nick Danger Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:51 pm
WHY oh WHY, did they not put at the old Michael Resse site? LOL, cuz they want to prime real estate and not improve the city. Bunch of phony baloneys
Comment by 10th ward Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 2:52 pm
Yay! Bye George! Take your action figures and a slink back to where you came from.
Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:06 pm
Prediction _ the friends of the park will lose funding and will be gone in two years. What a weak reply…
Comment by not buying what you are selling Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:08 pm
== Yay! Bye George! Take your action figures and a slink back to where you came from. ==
Forgive my ignorance, but why is this a good thing? Wouldn’t it have been good for the city to have the museum?
Comment by Dale Cooper Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:10 pm
Friends of the Parks…..Only because “parks” can’t openly speak and deny it.
Comment by A guy Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:12 pm
The Goo-goos at FOTP view parks the same way most people look at paintings and sculptures — they are to be looked at and admired, not actually used by people.
Comment by tmi Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:12 pm
Chicago may be broke, but it has pteserved its vacant cement slabs for another generation.
sure beats money and jobs
Comment by Ghost Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:18 pm
Really too bad they didn’t sell him the Thompson Center. The narrative behind that piece of art would be a perfect match for the overaged boy genius.
Win, win, win - that’s what I call negotiatin…
Comment by Liberty Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:19 pm
Pretending to be upset with your leaving we are.
Comment by Parks with Friends Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:21 pm
Justin Observer:
The other thing was Emanuel and Ruiz playing “good cop bad cop” on this. I said initially that Emanuel’s plan to tear down McCormick Place East wouldn’t fly because a do nothing legislature wouldn’t pass it, and the S-T spread the rumor that Friends of the Parks might compromise on it, Ruiz lambasted Parks on the issue I stated.
Comment by jack28 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:32 pm
NIMBY fanaticism wins the day.
Comment by Jackie Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:34 pm
Thank Goodness. San Francisco already turned him down once. When they turn him down again, maybe he’ll bring it back to Chicago.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:36 pm
Justin: Also Mel Brooks said that in connection with Spaceballs, “George told me, ‘do whatever you want, but don’t mess with sales of action figures.’” Mel says that’s what inspired Yogurt’s Spaceballs Shop. So you are onto something.
Comment by jack28 Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:37 pm
What happened in San Francisco the first time. He’s been peddling this since 2010.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/How-George-Lucas-bid-for-a-Presidio-museum-6232165.php
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:37 pm
In the economic development world, we refer to groups like “Friends of the Parks” as BANANA organizations.
Build
Absolutely
Nothing
Anywhere
Near
Anyone
Comment by sulla Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:40 pm
I’m thrilled to see Emmanuel suffer this blow. I’ve grown tired of watching him break ground with DeNiro, provide better security to NATO and the NFL draft then the communities with high crime. Do your job and that doesn’t mean more tax credits for businesses
Comment by LakeCoFinest Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:49 pm
Remember that he (Lucas) and his wife Mellody Hobson were only going to be paying ten dollars for the site. She ascended to become the president of Ariel, a Chicago investment firm that manages over $10 billion in assets.
Ariel has a lot of city pension money invested in it along with being a preferred 401 and 457 plan city employees are herded into.
They should have been paying hundred’s of millions of dollars for the site which could have been directed to the police and fire pension funds Daley and Emmanuel have under funded.
Comment by Rollo Tomasi Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:04 pm
If the “friends of the parking lot” really wanted to accomplish something why wouldn’t they pool their resources to fund a more compelling alternative. Of course that would put a damper on Sunday afternoons in the fall and I don’t know how I feel about that.
Comment by pundent Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:07 pm
==- LakeviewNick - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 1:37 pm: I am glad Emmanuel took this blow. I am tired of him entertaining Ari’s friends. It takes no effort to give tax credits to lure businesses. I am tired of watching him provide better security to the NFL draft than blighted neighborhoods, NATO summits with more police than Kenwood and breaking ground with DeNero.==
==- LakeCoFinest - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 3:49 pm: I’m thrilled to see Emmanuel suffer this blow. I’ve grown tired of watching him break ground with DeNiro, provide better security to NATO and the NFL draft then the communities with high crime. Do your job and that doesn’t mean more tax credits for businesses==
Nice copy/paste there, guys. Subtlety and originality are not your strong suits, apparently!
Comment by Responsa Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:10 pm
Will the folks who have a problem with a rich guy donating his art and cultural collection and paying for and building a museum on the lakefront please call the Field, Shedd and Adler families and tell them to rent a few trucks and pick up their Injun crap, fishies and star gazin’ nerdware from their self-named eyesores on our lakefront ?
Thanks.
Comment by Scott Cross for GOP President Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:29 pm
Um, you’re actually comparing the amazing collections and facilities at Field, Shedd and Adler to this???
Please.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:31 pm
We drive to Chicago a couple times each year specifically to cruise Lake Shore Drive. We do other things, often Navy Pier. But it’s the open lakefront area that draws us. Clutter up the lakefront, and we’d select a different scenic location for our jaunts - Galena is very beautiful, for instance, and closer to home.
Different things draw different people. And while we might go to the Lucas museum once, the lakefront draws us again and again.
And if I were a Chicago resident, Lucas’ hubris would stick in my craw.
Comment by RIJ Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 4:40 pm
Rich, I agree, the cultural collections at Field, Shedd and Adler are amazing. Now. After decades (or centuries) of building, curation and programming.
But when the Field Museum opened in 1893, its collection consisted of started with leftover exhibits from the World’s Columbian Exposition. Chicagoans of the time complained the anthropological collection, chiefly devoted to the ethnology of the North American Indian, was “Injun junk” and the Tiffany collection of gems was just rich families’ baubles.
The Lucas’ collection starts with the largest collection of Norman Rockwell paintings as well as traditional paintings by Edgar Degas, Winslow Homer and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, a broad range of illustration, children’s art, comic art and photography from many periods and cultures, as well as a digital art and cinematic art collection.
And that’s just where the collection would start now. Given time and professional curation, there is every reason to believe it would compliment and supplement the Art Institute, Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science and Industry and other Chicago art and cultural institutions.
Sorry, my mistake.
It would have. Past tense.
Comment by Scott Cross for GOP President Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 5:10 pm