Officials at the University of Chicago have been actively pursuing collaborations with rivals in Hawaii and Illinois to ensure that President Obama’s presidential library will be built at their university, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.
Hawaii, where Obama was born, is not looking to secure the presidential library, and instead is looking for a presidential center in Honolulu, Gov. Neil Abercrombie told the Sun-Times.
Susan Sher, the University of Chicago official leading the school’s library pursuit, along with Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff, have been discussing possible collaborations with officials in Hawaii.
Chris Kennedy, chair of the University of Illinois board, told the Sun-Times that a University of Chicago official floated a possible collaboration between the two schools to increase the odds that the library would be built in Chicago. Kennedy said that the University of Illinois, which has also been actively pursing the library, is “receptive” to a potential partnership.
Two Illinois state senators from Chicago on Tuesday introduced a bill to provide $100 billion for an Obama presidential library and center in Chicago, according to the Sun-Times.
