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The abrupt resignation Tuesday of Friends of the Parks President Cassandra Francis, who fought to keep the Obama presidential library off park district land, may have been the final hurdle in bringing the iconic library and museum to Chicago.

A top source claims the mayor’s office is saying the Obama Presidential Library is now a definite go for Chicago.

Sneed is told Francis resigned “because her annual evaluation and ability to work with the board was not turning out well,” said a Friends of the Parks source who asked to remain anonymous.

* And the very next day…

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has turned to state lawmakers to get some legal leverage as he tries to outflank park preservationists’ opposition to two hoped-for legacy projects: the Barack Obama presidential library and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

A measure to change state law to clarify that the city has the authority to build the Obama library near the University of Chicago and the Lucas museum along the lakefront surfaced in Springfield late Wednesday afternoon and was put on a fast track to reach Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk as soon as Thursday.

Senate President John Cullerton argued that the bill was to make “doubly certain” the city could move forward should it win the bid for the Obama library, noting fierce competition from Columbia University in New York. Obama is expected to make an announcement on his library location in the coming weeks.

“We just want to make sure that there’s no issue with regard to Chicago being able to be chosen,” Cullerton said. “Obviously there were some concerns about our competition in New York having a clearer ownership issue with the land.”

To that end, the proposal would amend state law to specifically allow the construction of “presidential libraries” on public parkland as long as the public can access the grounds “in a manner consistent with its access to other public parks.”

The bill zoomed out of Senate Exec yesterday 15-0, so, obviously, the governor is fully on board. It’s greased lightning.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Zoom zoom…

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL ON STATE SENATE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT TO THE PARK DISTRICT AQUARIUM AND MUSEUM ACT

Amendment reaffirms that presidential libraries, other museums can be built on park land

“As the city where President Obama started his career in public service and raised his family, Chicago is united in its effort to welcome the President’s legacy and the foundation of his future civic initiatives. We have taken the necessary steps as a city to ensure that Chicago does not lose out on this incredible economic, cultural and educational opportunity. Further, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be a great new addition to the city’s museum campus that will benefit residents and visitors for generations to come. I commend the State Senate for passing this amendment, as this action makes it clear that they agree with the city’s position that a presidential library and other museums enhance park land for the benefit of the public, and I urge the State House of Representatives to join with us in supporting this amendment.”

*** UPDATE 2 *** The bill passed the Senate at about 12:30 this afternoon. I checked the bill status at 12:50 and it’s already zipping through the House…

*** UPDATE 3 *** From the press room at 1:50 pm…

Steve Brown has advised me the Obama library bill will be up in about 5 minutes in the House

Rick Millard

*** UPDATE 4 *** Press release…

Mayor Rahm Emanuel today commended House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton, Senator Kwame Raoul and the Illinois General Assembly on their passage of an amendment to the Park District Aquarium and Museum Act.

“I commend the Illinois General Assembly for making it clear that they agree with Chicago’s position that presidential libraries and other museums enhance park land for the benefit of the public,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The Obama Presidential Library and Lucas Museum of Narrative Art would not only benefit residents and visitors for generations to come, these institutions would provide incredible economic, cultural and educational opportunities to the city and state.”

As part of the Mayor’s commitment to secure the presidential library for Chicago, this action will provide further reassurance for the Barack Obama Foundation to choose the president’s home town as the site of the Barack Obama Presidential Library and Museum.

The amendment was passed today by both the Illinois State Senate and House of Representatives.

Wonder how long it’ll be before the guv signs it?

*** UPDATE 5 *** Press release…

House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement after legislation to help ensure Barack Obama’s presidential library is located in Illinois was sent to the governor Thursday:

“Ensuring President Obama’s library is sited in Illinois is a priority. For more than one year, I have worked to make Illinois proposals the most attractive and competitive. Today’s vote enhances those proposals and clarifies this is a proper use of park land for this truly historic institution,” Madigan said.

“I believe it will be a destination for visitors from every corner of the globe and a repository of documents and artifacts from a transformational presidency,” Madigan added.

In 2014, the Speaker called for the state’s next capital construction program to include funding for President Obama’s library to help improve Chicago’s bid in the competitive site selection process. The legislation approved Thursday is another way the state can help bring President Obama’s library to Illinois, its rightful home, Madigan explained.

“Current and future generations deserve the opportunity to learn first-hand the impact of President Obama on Illinois as a member of the General Assembly, a U.S. senator and our president, and to also learn how our state had an impact on him.

“We’re proud to be able to say that Illinois is home to the presidential library and museum of our greatest president, Abraham Lincoln. But the opportunity to bring a presidential library to Illinois is rare. It is an opportunity that we should seize upon.”

Madigan noted the legislation will also assist with the development of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is also expected to draw a worldwide audience.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:25 am

Comments

Surprised it didn’t include something to also allow anything connected to the Jedi order as well.

Comment by OneMan Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:33 am
Friends of the Parks had become sort of strident over the past few years. They seemed to have difficulty working with other groups.

I don’t know how much of it was Cassandra and how much was the Board and others, but I hope this move serves to improve the group. They could do much better if they cooperated with neighborhood organizations.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:34 am
Emanuel sure has changed. He humbly muscled Francis out from Friends of the Parks. Probably was wearing a Mr. Rogers sweater when he did it.

Unless there’s a modern-day Montgomery Ward out there, looks like the fix is in for the parks grab.

What are Friends getting in return for clearing the path for the museums?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:36 am
What is the obsession with putting concrete structures on Washington Park & Jackson Park?

This was a big part of the Olympics bid too, right?

There are a ton of places where an Obama presidential library could go in Chicago. Many of them don’t involve putting concrete on what is now park land.

Is there some angle I’m missing? Or is this just part of establishing Rahm Emanuel as someone who can deliver on stuff, even stuff that’s completely unnecessary and mostly unreasonable? Is this part of some larger strategy to pit liberals and Blacks against each other?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:38 am
Is “President of Friends of the Park” a paid position or is it a volunteer position?

Comment by DuPage Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:40 am
We shall soon see if the president born in Hawaii, schooled in California and New York City and then climbed the political ladder in Chicago, is interested in being permanently associated with our state.

It will depend upon Michelle, I bet.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:42 am
If we didn’t get the Obama Library after all of this is done…

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:47 am
Who wouldn’t prefer monuments to political and Hollywood types to a nasty old park and lakefront?

Comment by south side Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:53 am
These pols will be foolish to let it go on the lakefront. The First Egos will have to accept that.

Comment by Percival Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 9:58 am
South Side, the Lucas and Obama projects are very different. The fact that Friends of the Parks treated them the same, without any real analysis, was part of the problem.

The Lucas was to be put on a surface parking lot. Putting a museum on that surface parking lot enhances the park area around it.

The Obama library, in contrast, tears up actual park land.

The fact that Friends of the Parks saw those two as equal is part of the reason that people stopped listening to them. When all you are doing is reciting lines without any thought or analysis, people stop caring.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:01 am
High stakes game of “get off my lawn” appears to have gone the city and state’s way. Assuming the Park District will get some land in return for this. Those uses will probably bring more tourists and usage than the current circumstances, so I’m cautiously siding with the city on this one.

But it is true, if the Obama Book Nook doesn’t come here after all this, there will be some hell to pay.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:02 am
New York City donated land in Riverside Park, NYC, for the tomb of another Illinois President, U. S. Grant.

Comment by Anon III Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:05 am
It’ll be great to be able to see our beautiful lakefront with a giant upside down ice cream cone adorning it. I am sure this was Daniel Burnham’s dream.

Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:08 am
I sense a disturbance in the Force. House GOPers, happy they are not. Vote “No” they will.

Comment by Chi-Gon Jin Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:12 am
Michael Reese? Plenty of parking, close to the lake, plenty of land, and get rid of a taxpayers burden.

Comment by james the intolerant Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:13 am
No Carhartt, that wasn’t Burnham’s dream.

Burnham dreamed about a cracked and oil stained stretch of concrete.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:13 am
Now I know what Obama meant when he said there were entanglements. The obstacles seem to be falling, one by one. Lynn Sweet reported last week that Chicago was poised to get the Obama library, and she now says that the foundation is planning on selecting Chicago.

It seems to me that if the obstacles are removed, Chicago will be selected. New York has no obstacles, and my thinking is that it would have been selected already, without making Chicago have to jump through these hoops.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:16 am
The Obama library should be in Illinois. Like him or not he is a historic figure and he is from Illinois. The Presidential Library will be a great addition to the State.

Comment by Stones Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 10:25 am
She kept bringing a knife to a gun fight. But unfortunately for her a knife is all she was ever given.

Comment by Not it Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 11:03 am
Gooner:

It is a false dichotomy, or atleast one engineered by Rahm.

It is, in fact, almost identical to the argument made for the children’s museum: this used to be a parking lot, so….

There is nothing today that prevents the city from turning that surface parking lot to grassy fields.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 11:12 am
Juvenal,

It it really isn’t.

In Grant Park, the parking lot was underground. Looking at it from surface level, you would not see it. You would see beautiful trees and park land.

Here, the Lucas location is a surface parking lot. Driving by, it is ugly.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 11:24 am
Gooner, it’s not like the only choice for lakefront property is a parking lot or the Jedi Council HQ.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 12:29 pm
“Like him or not he is a historic figure and he is from Illinois.”

Obama seemed interested in Illinois solely for the political opportunities it offered. Interestingly, he failed in his effort to obtain a seat in Congress, but managed to win the US Senate and the Presidency. I seriously doubt that he will spend much time here after his term is over.

Comment by Upon Further Review Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 12:34 pm
Wordslinger, are there other areas? Of course. It is a big city.

However, as regular visitor to that area, the idea of replacing an ugly parking lot with an interesting museum is extremely appealing.

I don’t see it being completed before my kids grow out of the “every weekend at a museum” age, but it is was there now, I’m pretty confident it would be part of our regular rotation.

Right now there are weekends we drive over to the museum campus and decide literally at the last minute which one we will visit. It would be great to have another option. Chicago parents are going to love it.

Comment by Gooner Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 1:26 pm
Gooner:

Before Daley Bicentennial Plaza was Daley Bicentennial Plaza, it was a gravel parking lot.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 1:28 pm
The bill overwhelmingly passed in the House. Great. I think the library will be a tremendous boost to our city and state. It will bring in tourists from all over the world and will create jobs and revenue.

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 2:12 pm
I’m hoping Governor Rauner signs this tomorrow. Why not? After all - it would go a long way to softening any hard feelings.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Does it have a RTW zone in the park as an enticement for the Gov? Perhaps the Gov will sign ASAP so Darth can help him with the corrupt union bosses.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 4:58 pm
Ms. Francis’ board is absurdly unwieldy and undisciplined. That she tolerated them this long is astounding.

Comment by Hate to break it Thursday, Apr 23, 15 @ 5:37 pm