George Lucas Museum Coming To Chicago! 'Star Wars' Creator Pledges Personal Art Collection And $700 Million, Chose 'Windy City' Because Of Wife Mellody Hobson

After some debate over choosing Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area for his new Narrative Art museum, Star Wars creator George Lucas has decided to build his museum in Chicago instead. This news is huge for the Windy City and Lucas is excited for the venture.

"Choosing Chicago is the right decision for the museum, but a difficult decision for me personally because of my strong personal and professional roots in the Bay Area," Lucas said in a statement this week.

Lucas' wife, Mellody Hobson, is his link to the city, so we're imagining this museum is in a way a gift to her.

"We are honored to be partnering with the city of Chicago and the many cultural, educational and community groups that have come forward with ideas about how the LMNA will add to their work," the filmmaker said. "I am humbled to be joining such an extraordinary museum community and to be creating the Museum in a city that has a long tradition of embracing the arts and architecture."

Though this is a huge victory for Chicago, the city's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, is probably the most overjoyed since he lobbied hard for Lucas to pick Chicago as the location for the museum.

"This is a milestone for the city, but it is just one milestone on a journey as we build this new museum," he said.

"No other museum like this exists in the world, making it a tremendous educational, cultural and job creation asset for all Chicagoans, as well as an unparalleled draw for international tourists," added the mayor.