San Francisco and Chicago Fight for George Lucas Museum

Star Wars director George Lucas wants to build a museum of American art and film memorabilia in San Francisco. Unfortunately, this has proved easier said than done. According to an opinion piece in the SF Gate, “the project has changed from a design derby into a political showdown.” When the federally appointed Presidio Trust rejected Lucas’s initial site proposal, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel tossed his light saber into the ring, working up his own list of Windy City sites to offer Lucas.

By the end of the month, both cities are expected to present their proposed locations to Lucas, who will then come to a decision on where to house the museum that he plans to pay for and endow. San Francisco is reportedly expected to offer up “problem child” site Piers 30-32, which “comes with infrastructure costs estimated at $200 million to replace crumbling concrete, lengthy government reviews and the need for voter approval if the roofline is higher than 40 feet.”

Though he has declined comment, Lucas is reportedly waiting to see what each city has to offer. Museum spokesman David Perry has said, “We really are Switzerland.” They may be Switzerland now, but come June, they’ll have to be either Chicago or San Francisco.