Chicago City Council approves Lucas Museum proposal

CHICAGO -- The Chicago City Council has approved filmmaker George Lucas' plan to build a museum along Lake Michigan.

The "Star Wars" director plans to build the 300,000-square-foot Lucas Museum of Narrative Art along the city's lakefront.

Aldermen took up the matter Wednesday without any discussion. A city zoning committee recommended approval of the proposed museum last week.

The nonprofit group, Friends of the Parks, is suing the city park district over the plan. It argues that the museum isn't in the best interests of residents and will violate the public trust because it will be built on reclaimed land that was once Lake Michigan.

Construction could start in the spring and the museum could open by as early as 2019.

Lucas chose Chicago over San Francisco for the museum.