A long time ago, in a city far, far away, George Lucas had plans to construct a multi-million dollar museum dedicated to his art and life's work on Chicago's waterfront. That plan was thwarted by a rebellion (a.k.a. the Friends of the Parks) that didn't want to see the monolithic structure monopolize the area. Lucas then set his sights on California, where he pit San Francisco and Los Angeles against one another for the right to host the potential tourist trap. Despite big efforts on both sides, the museum's board of directors announced Tuesday that they will set up shop in Los Angeles' Exposition Park.

The decision was made because the LA location “best positions the museum to have the greatest impact on the broader community, fulfilling our goal of inspiring, engaging and educating a broad and diverse visitorship.” The Exposition Park neighborhood was chosen over San Francisco’s Treasure Island.

Lucas and wife Mellody Hobson plan to invest over $1 billion into the five-story, 312,000-square-foot museum, which will not only include memorabilia and artwork from Lucas' oeuvre (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) but also artifacts and artworks that they have collected over the years. Some of the specific pieces will include film storyboard drawings, authentic costumes, Norman Rockwell paintings, and drawings by Robert Crumb, just to name a few. Plans also call for the inclusion of a restaurant, state-of-the-art movie theaters, lecture halls, a library, and classrooms.

The Exposition Park location puts it in close proximity to many other like-minded buildings, including Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the California African American Museum, and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. It's also close to the University of Southern California, where Lucas attended film school.

Sources:

Lucas Museum Heads To Los Angeles After Dropping Bid For Chicago Lakefront [DNA Info]

Lucas Museum Won't Be Built in Chicago, Parks Group Blamed [DNA Info]

George Lucas will build his museum in Los Angeles [Curbed]