By Margaux Poupard
In a galaxy not so far away, the competition between San Francisco and Chicago to lock down the location of a new George Lucas museum is on. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has given his team one task: Site for museum you will find by end of May. But according to CBS San Francisco, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has a leg up so far; his staff has been scouting since April – in particular eyeing the city's Park District. Chicago is considered a frontrunner since Lucas' first proposed location – a spot in the Presidio at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge – was rejected by the Presidio Trust in February, and the Star Wars creator is married to Mellody Hobson, a businesswoman from the Windy City.
That's nice and all, but Lucas and California – and the Bay Area in particular – have some history that Chicago just can't compete with. Lucas was raised in Modesto, Skywalker Ranch is in Marin, Lucasfilm/Industrial Light &Magic is in the Presidio, and Star Wars cosplay is a sacred art form in the Bay Area. There's gotta be someplace in the city with enough wall space for all of Lucas' priceless memorabilia, since his 6,000-acre ranch isn't up to the task.
Apparently unloading the $700 million dollar project isn't as easy as it sounds. Lucas has been searching for a spot for the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum, a collection of his personal art collection and movie memorabilia, for the past four years.
But San Francisco isn't giving up without a fight. Aside from Ed Lee putting out the call to his task force, former mayor Willie Brown has put in his two cents, suggesting they set up shop at the Piers, specifically Piers 30-32, now that the Warriors will not be building their new arena there. Put it on the Google Barge for all we care, Lucas Cultural Arts Museum belongs in San Francisco.
Image via Lucas Cultural Arts Museum Facebook page