The Chicago bid sites for the Obama presidential library may be out of the running, according to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times.
There are currently two Chicago proposals, one by the University of Chicago and the other by the University of Illinois at Chicago. But the Barack Obama Foundation has major concerns about the University of Chicago bid, which was previously the frontrunner, according to the Sun-Times.
A source close to the foundation told the Sun-Times that the University of Chicago's proposal was not solid because the university does not own or have definite plans to acquire any of the sites they proposed. In contrast, Columbia University in York, which is another candidate, already owns the sites they proposed.
The foundation also expressed concern over the uncertainty of the leadership at the UIC, which is changing drastically, according to the Sun-Times.
There were four universities who submitted proposals in the semi-finals, including Columbia University and the two Chicago universities. The last one was the University of Hawaii of Honolulu, which is where the president was born. Columbia appears to be the frontrunner now.
The University of Chicago's bid faces disapproval from some community members as well, who argued that the university should provide a trauma center for South Side residents before hosting the presidential library.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has expressed his support for both bids, although he initially wanted the city to band together in proprosing a single bid.
