Phil Matier: 'A New Hope' For Lucas Museum On San Francisco Waterfront
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is pitching a new spot for filmmaker George Lucas's art museum. In our column, Matier & Ross, Andrew Ross and I reported on Thursday that Lee thinks an empty lot across from Piers 30-32 would be a good spot and he's enlisting several powerful San Francisco figures for support.
Lee is suggesting seawall lot Seawall Lot 330 as the spot—an area that had once been included in the development plan for a new Warriors stadium until it was decided to change course and build in Mission Bay instead.
The Mayor took out a full page ad in Thursday's Chronicle asking Lucas to build his $700 million Lucas Cultural Arts Museum in San Francisco. The online petition is supported by Senator and former Mayor Dianne Feinstein, Former Mayor Willie Brown, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Giants president Larry Baer among others.
The ad was paid for by technology investor Ron Conway's civic lobbying group, SF.citi.
Lucas is said to be considering opening his museum in Chicago after a proposal to build it at Crissy Field, which seemed like a no-brainer, was rejected earlier this year by the Presidio Trust.
There is no doubt this museum would be a huge draw—it has work from artists, like Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish, that most people can understand without having a degree in art and Lucas will pay to build it himself. So what other city, besides San Francisco, could say "no" to a $700 million museum?
Certainly not the Windy City—they think they could attract just as many people.
And by the way, where does Lucas' wife live and work?
Chicago.