Obama Presidential Center opens Thursday: Here’s what to know

CHICAGO (WGN) – The Obama Presidential Center is about to open its doors.

The nearly 20-acre campus, located in the city’s Jackson Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, will celebrate its opening with a star-studded ceremony on Thursday. It will then open to the public on Friday.

The center, which is expected to host somewhere between 600,000 and 1 million visitors per year, features art installations, a new library, a basketball court and a picnic area with grills. The roughly $850 million project covers the political and personal realms of former President Barack Obama and his family.

“It exceeds my wildest expectations,” said Valerie Jarrett, a longtime friend of the Obamas and CEO of the Obama Foundation. “I think we’ve done a great job. We worked with the community to help us on the design and the jobs and the feel.

“I think people will feel at home here. This is such a day of pride. Welcome to the Obama Presidential Center. I waited a long time to be able to say that.”

Barack and Michelle Obama greeted former Obama campaign and staff members Wednesday night........

© The Hill