Bears’ McCaskey: Lucas Museum would be ‘great asset’ for Chicago

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Bears chairman George McCaskey isn’t too familiar with Yoda, Obi-Wan, Jar Jar Binks, C-3PO or Kylo Ren. But he knows people who are Stars Wars fans.

McCaskey is all for having the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Chicago’s lakefront, right next to the Bears’ Soldier Field.

“I think it would be great to have this great asset in the greatest city in the world,” McCaskey said this week during the NFL owners meetings at the Boca Raton Resort.

The museum would take the place of a parking lot across the street from Soldier Field. The Bears had concerns early on because it took away tail-gating spots from fans. But the Bears and the Chicago Park District reached a deal in October that will give fans access to additional parking and tail-gating spots.

The Lucas Museum, meanwhile, is caught in a legal battle. Opponents have argued for another location. Earlier this month, Mayor Rahm Emanuel warned that the city could lose George Lucas’ $400 million museum.

But the Bears remain on board with the Lucas Museum being a new lakefront neighbor.

“My understanding is its in litigation that we are not a party to,” McCaskey said. “What we have is an amended agreement with the Park District that if everything goes as planned, if the museum is built, we’ll have more parking on campus, more tailgating spots on campus.

“It will be different for Bears fans, but Bears fans have adjusted before. They adjusted when Lake Shore Drive was re-routed. They adjusted when Solider Field was re-built. And we’re confident and hopeful that they’ll adjust to this change if it comes about.”

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