Chicago Pursues George Lucas Museum After Presidio Rejection

Chicago officials are stepping up efforts to lure Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas to the city to build his proposed museum of movie memorabilia and populist art, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune report.

David Perry, a spokesman for the Lucas project, said the billionaire movie mogul “started speaking seriously” with Chicago officials in February after the Presidio Trust rejected a plan to locate the self-funded, $300-million museum on a prime waterfront site in the Presidio federal park on San Francisco Bay. Mr. Perry said San Francisco and other cities remain in the running for the project.

A senior adviser to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city plans to convene a task force of community leaders to identify potential museum sites and will submit a proposal to Mr. Lucas in the coming months. The filmmaker has forged philanthropic ties to the city since marrying Chicago investment executive Mellody Hobson last year, donating $50-million to education projects.