The Presidio Trust and San Francisco city officials offered alternatives to the Crissy Field property — one near the Presidio's Letterman Digital Arts Center, which Lucas helped create, and one on the Embarcadero across the street from Piers 30-32. But Lucas opted for Chicago's offer of a $1-a-year lease for the lakefront real estate. The property, just south of Soldier Field and a mile and a half or so from the center of downtown, is currently occupied by two city-owned parking lots.

When Lucas and company announced their decision Tuesday, the Chronicle's Phil Matier and Andy Ross were ready with a piece saying that the outcome came as little surprise to San Francisco city officials:

Team Lucas never seemed to think much of the [alternative] Presidio site — a spokesman all but dismissed it as a “Hail Mary” play after the trust came up with it. But they showed more interest in the city’s spot along the Embarcadero — although, unlike in Chicago, Lucas would have had to pay $30 million or more to buy the port property.

Lee and Company cranked up the PR campaign to try to win Lucas over, including taking out a full-page Chronicle ad signed by every living former San Francisco mayor and hundreds of community leaders.

Sources tell us that Lee had been preparing to sweeten the pot by pledging to help turn Piers 30-32 into a gateway park — possibly with an amphitheater or other public amenities — that would have protected the views of whatever museum Lucas built across the way. ...

... But there were plenty of unresolved issues. For openers, it would probably cost more than $100 million to transform Piers 30-32 into a park — so even if the city put up the $30 million-plus from the land sale to Lucas, it would still have been tens of millions of dollars short.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the Lucas museum will face development challenges in the Windy City, too:

... The museum is expected to draw opposition from open space advocates. Friends of the Parks has opposed the Soldier Field site because it would violate one of the 14 basic policies of the Lakefront Plan of Chicago, which prohibits further private development east of Lake Shore Drive.

Under Emanuel’s plan, ... two Chicago Park District-owned parking lots would be leased to the museum for $1, which is similar to arrangements other large cultural institutions have with the Park District. However, unlike other museums, the Lucas museum would not receive taxpayer subsidies to cover a portion of its operations, mayoral aides have said.

The theory is that the museum will draw conventioneers from neighboring McCormick Place and that the 17-acre plot of land being offered is large enough to both house the museum while leaving about 12 acres for additional green space.

The parking lots would be moved underground at Lucas’ expense, the city has said. In addition to paying construction costs, Lucas has said the museum would receive a $400 million endowment over time.

Lucas Museum of Narrative ArtLucas Museum of Narrative Art

George Lucas Chooses Chicago for New Art Museum