It’s Thursday. Get to the end of the week with the latest headlines from WTTW News on the upcoming mayoral elections, a new presidential library and more.
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The Obama Presidential Center's Museum tower and plaza, June 3, 2026. (Nicole Cardos / WTTW News)
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Valerie Jarrett has been waiting nearly a decade to utter six simple words: “Welcome to the Obama Presidential Center.”
After what Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, called a “very long and arduous road” to build the 44th president's non-traditional presidential library, that moment has finally arrived.
Though the $850 million center's official grand opening on Juneteenth is still two weeks away, on Wednesday media including WTTW News received a sneak peak of the 20-acre campus — including the 225-foot-tall museum tower — which has transformed the southwest corner of Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side.
Here's what visitors can expect from the museum and the broader campus.
Museum:
Due to its sheer height, the granite museum tower has been the center's most visible element during construction. Its imposing mass and crowning latticework of lettering — excerpting one of former President Barack Obama's speeches — have drawn mixed reviews. For her part, Jarrett told WTTW News the tower is not a monument to Obama but rather a “beacon of hope.”
Those lucky enough to have nabbed entry tickets, which are completely sold out through the end of August, will discover four content-rich levels that balance big ideas with small moments, and touch on both the public and personal lives of Barack and Michelle Obama.
As guests move through the levels, they'll first encounter exhibits on historical movements from the American Revolution, through abolitionism, suffrage, the New Deal and the fight for civil rights in the 1960s.
“It's about the story of our country, it's about democracy, it's about civic engagement,” said Michael Strautmanis, the Obama Foundation's chief corporate affairs officer. “I also want people to ask themselves at some point, ‘What’s my role in this?'”
Campus:
Apart from the museum's four levels, the rest of the center's campus is free and open to the public, including the Sky Deck. The other buildings comprising the campus are:
The Forum, which will serve as the center's programming hub.
Home Court, featuring an NBA-regulation basketball court.
A Chicago Public Library branch, which occupies a space originally slated to hold Obama's presidential archives. The physical copies of his documents are being stored elsewhere, but digital versions will soon be available for anyone to access, Jarrett said.
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Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza appears on “Chicago Tonight” on June 3, 2026. (WTTW News)
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The crowd of challengers vying to become Chicago’s next mayor grew larger Wednesday, as Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza threw her hat into the ring for the 2027 race.
Mendoza kicked off her mayoral campaign Wednesday with a social media video that repeatedly touted “progress” over promises.
“I believe government should answer to the people it serves, not political insiders or special interests,” she said in the video. “Because Chicagoans are tired of paying more and getting less, tired of politics that divides people without solving problems.”
She joins U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and businessmen Joe Holberg and Liam Stanton in seeking to unseat Mayor Brandon Johnson. That list is expected to continue growing with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias interested in running as well.
In her launch video, Mendoza said Chicago families are being squeezed by “rising rents, higher fees and property taxes.” She added that communities feel less safe and small businesses are struggling to survive.
She also highlighted her own accomplishments throughout her career as comptroller, legislator and Chicago’s city clerk, pointing to her efforts to modernize city stickers and eliminate billions in unpaid state bills.
More context:
Mendoza said what she found was that Chicago faces three separate crises over finances, public safety and a lack of confidence that things will get better. If elected, she said she would curb City Hall spending, rebuild trust between residents and police and ensure a safe, clean and reliable CTA transit system.
Mendoza blamed Johnson and his administration for being too comfortable spending money they don’t have and becoming “disconnected from our neighborhoods.”
“Chicago has tossed mayors out of office for blizzards, corruption and incompetence. Right now, Chicago is facing a blizzard of incompetence,” she said to applause. “We deserve better.”
Mendoza previously ran for mayor in 2019, finishing in fifth place with 9% of votes in the 14-candidate race, which was eventually won in a runoff by Lori Lightfoot. Mendoza opted not to seek reelection to her comptroller position this year.
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From left, Benny the Bull, Chicago Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf, United Center CEO Terry Savarise, Chicago Blackhawks Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz and Tommy Hawk during a groundbreaking event for the 1901 Project at the United Center on June 3, 2026. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
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A ceremonial groundbreaking was held Wednesday for a $7 billion project that aims to overhaul the area surrounding the United Center on the Near West Side.
The redevelopment known as the 1901 Project will turn 55 acres of surface parking lots surrounding the home of the Bulls and Blackhawks into a music hall, hotels, green space, retail and restaurants, a new CTA Pink Line station stop and 9,500 new residential units, including 1,900 affordable units, according to officials.
“As we started thinking about the future of this campus, one thing became clear to us,” Chicago Bulls President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said during the groundbreaking event. “We didn’t want to create just an entertainment district. We wanted to add to the neighborhood that already exists here.”
The first phase of the project, expected in 2028, will include a new 6,000-seat music hall, a hotel, retail space, two parking garages, enhanced pedestrian walkways, bike lanes and roadways, according to a news release. The first phase represents more than $500 million in private investment, according to officials.
More context:
The project is expected to generate 32,000 construction jobs, 7,000 permanent jobs and $104 million in annual tax revenue, according to a news release.
The project was approved by the City Council to receive a $55 million property tax break, supported by Mayor Brandon Johnson due to the “economic vibrancy” he said the project would bring to the West Side. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said the county has begun the process of also providing a tax incentive to the project.
The entire project is expected to be complete in 2040, according to officials.
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More From WTTW News:
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Back in the Day: June 4, 1936 - Bruce Dern Born in Chicago
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On this day 90 years ago, the seasoned and distinguished character actor Bruce Dern was born in Chicago. His parents worked as a utility chief and a lawyer, and his godfather was former Illinois governor and two-time presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson II. Dern grew up in Kenilworth, attended New Trier High School, and launched a career in acting during the 1960s. A two-time Academy Award nominee, his most recent nod came at age 77 from his starring role in the 2013 film “Nebraska.” Dern boasts more than 200 acting credits spanning a prolific, 66-year film and television career, including stints in “Big Love,” “Django Unchained,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
and more.
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This Week’s Arts and Culture Events
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Every Thursday, WTTW News newsletter producer Josh Terry highlights his picks for the week’s must-see cultural events.
It’s the time of year when your neighborhood is bustling. People are taking comfortable, leisurely strolls and filling up the nearby restaurants and bars’ patios. The weather’s nice, the trees are in bloom, and the city feels totally alive with possibility and sunshine. These are the perfect conditions for exploring Chicago’s multitudinous arts offerings. With you energized and enlivened by the incoming summer season, you’ll be equally edified by taking in these cultural events.
Film: “25 For 25” — Siskel Film Center
The Siskel Film Center is turning 25 this year. The State Street institution is celebrating by throwing a stacked film series throughout June, highlighting 25 important movies that have screened throughout the arthouse theater’s history. Per the Siskel’s website, “Each selection connects to a past Siskel program, highlighting the Siskel Film Center’s long-standing commitment to diverse and innovative curation.” For a list of films, click here and check the listings for screening times and tickets.
Theater: “Catch as Catch Can” — Steppenwolf Theatre
Mia Chung’s acclaimed play “Catch as Catch Can” makes its Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf this week, with shows running from June 4 through July 12. Its plot synopsis states, “When a prodigal son returns to blue collar New England, his homecoming sets off a spiraling crisis for two families, threatening not only their relationships but their very identities.” Three actors take on six roles in this “inventive” and “ferocious” drama. For showtimes and tickets, click here.
Literature: Dave Eggers — Old Town School of Folk Music
Dave Eggers is the relentlessly prolific author behind 13 novels, several works of nonfiction, scores of children’s books and his 2000 memoir “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius,” which made him a Pulitzer Prize finalist. He’s also behind the humorous lit publication McSweeney’s and the literacy nonprofit 826 Valencia, which has an outpost in Chicago. On Wednesday, the Lake Forest College grad returns to the area to promote his 14th novel, “Contrapposto,” at the Old Town School of Folk Music. He’ll be in conversation with Kevin Boehm, co-founder of the Boka group and an 826 CHI board member. Buy tickets here.
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Who is your favorite actor or actress from Chicago? Tell us
why
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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5:30 PM | 10:00 PM
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Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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