Biography & Early Wealth Journey

"Chicago's loss will be another city's gain. This missed opportunity has not only cost us what will be a world-class cultural institution, it has cost thousands of jobs for Chicago workers, millions of dollars in economic investment and countless educational opportunities for Chicago's youth."

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

That other city will likely be somewhere in California, perhaps near where Lucas grew up in Modesto. And it should come as no surprise that the mayor of Chicago would be unhappy about the move, considering Lucas was planning to spend $700 million of his own fortune to fund the project, and that it probably would have attracted visitors from all over the world – both fans of George Lucas and appreciators of the kind of art that would be on display at the museum.

This was actually not the first time Lucas' museum plans have stalled, as he originally wanted to build it in San Francisco before moving on to Chicago instead. It appears that funding your own museum is harder than it seems, even if you're ultra-rich.