The city of Waukegan has asked organizers of the proposed Lucas Museum to consider their northern suburb as an alternative option.
It’s a pitch that comes days after the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art said it was now "seriously pursuing" locations outside of Chicago following Friends of the Parks’ announcement it opposes any site on the city’s lakefront.
The Chicago Tribune reports Waukegan Mayor Wayne Motley reached out to Chicago financial executive Mellody Hobson about moving the proposed location to their lakefront instead. Hobson is also the wife of “Star Wars” creator George Lucas.
Waukegan spokesman David Motley, who the Tribune reports to be the mayor’s son, took to Facebook Wednesday to personally speak on his hope to bring the 90,000-resident city:
“We have a master plan for our lakefront that is developing 1,400 acres of lakefront and downtown that was prepared by internationally-renowned architectural and planning firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art would be a perfect fit,” he wrote.
Chicago was chosen to be home to the museum, but Friends of the Parks has opposed both of the proposed locations along the city's lakefront and has filed a lawsuit on the matter.
Local
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday his office is filing a petition with a federal appeals court to dismiss the lawsuit. Emanuel said if the court doesn't dismiss what he calls a frivolous lawsuit, "the museum will abandon its efforts to locate in Chicago."
