Star Wars creator George Lucas has chosen Chicago as the location of a planned museum of his art and movie memorabilia, snubbing San Francisco despite the push to build it adjacent to Crissy Field in the Presidio.
A spokesman for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum will be built in the Windy City.
The Associated Press says: “It was unclear for weeks whether Chicago or San Francisco would be selected. Some people thought Chicago might have the upper hand because Lucas’ wife is from Chicago and because of Emanuel’s powers of persuasion. But Lucas is a California native, his visual effects division is based in San Francisco and the headquarters for LucasFilm and Skywalker Sound is in nearby Marin County.”
The Sun-Times describes the museum as a $1 billion investment and Chicago Business says, quoting a task force set up by Emanuel to study the project, it “would generate between $2 billion and $2.5 billion of additional tourist spending and significant tax revenue over ten years.”
Back in March of 2013, Lucas announced plans to build the center. Although it’s being described as the “Star Wars museum,” Lucas says the facility would feature, among other things, a wide selection of populist art he owns, including “a number of Norman Rockwell paintings.”
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