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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Ellie Muir

Where is the Obama Presidential Center - and when does it open?

  • The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open to the public on Juneteenth, following a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, June 18, in Chicago 's South Side after a decade of planning and construction.
  • The grand opening ceremony will feature a star-studded lineup of musical performers , including Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, The Roots, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Marc Anthony, Common, Eddie Vedder, Bono, The Edge, Tems, and Marsai Martin.
  • This extensive list of performers stands in stark contrast to events for the American Freedom 250 celebrations , which saw several musicians, such as Bret Michaels and Martina McBride, withdraw after learning of the event's affiliation with a Trump-associated group.
  • With an $800 million price tag raised through private donations, the 20-acre Obama Center will be the most expensive presidential library ever built, featuring a museum, a Chicago Public Library branch, recording studios, and educational classrooms.
  • Despite previous criticism from Trump, who called the project over budget and a "disaster," Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett has extended an invitation for him to visit the center.

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