Protect Our Parks Files New Federal Lawsuit To Block Obama Center

CHICAGO — On the same day site work for the Obama Presidential Center began at Jackson Park, a coalition led by Protect Our Parks filed a new federal lawsuit to block the project's construction.

Last year, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Protect Our Parks against the Chicago and the Chicago Park District claiming those government bodies wrongfully transferred Jackson Park land to the Obama Foundation, a private entity.

The new 84-page complaint against the Obama Foundation, the city of Chicago and Chicago Park District, federal and state transportation agencies, departments of the U.S. Interior and National Park Service seeks a court order to prevent "all activities that may adversely affect the environment, natural, scenic, cultural and/or historic resources associated with the roadwork and construction of the Obama Presidential Center."

The Protect Our Parks coalition argues the Obama Center is a "massive endeavor would permanently destroy Jackson Park’s roadways, trees and overall integrity, thereby dismantling a unique and treasured asset of the City of Chicago."

An Obama Foundation spokeswoman said, "The Foundation is prepared to vigorously defend against this lawsuit, and we continue to look ahead to a groundbreaking in the fall of this year. Several months ago, we celebrated the conclusion of the federal reviews, a robust and transparent process that extended more than three years and involved extensive consulting party and community input. Thousands of Chicagoans participated in this journey with us, and the input we received helped strengthen the project and what we will do together in the years ahead - together we will bring this world-class institution to the South Side of Chicago."

A city law department spokeswoman and Chicago Park District President Michael Kelly declined to comment.

The lawsuit also claims the fix was in to build the Obama Center in Jackson Park along Lake Michigan.

"The political forces exerted by Defendants City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District that were four-square behind the Obama Foundation, led to the wholesale delegation of decision-making authority," according to the complaint.

Read the full complaint below: