Judge warns Chicago about moving too fast on Lucas Museum

Chicago may be on the verge of losing movie mogul George Lucas' $400 million lakefront museum, but a federal judge has warned City Hall of the risk it would take by breaking ground early - especially if it ultimately loses a court battle over the museum's location.

"Whatever you've done is going to have to be undone at cost to somebody other than the plaintiffs," U.S. District Judge John Darrah said Wednesday.

The judge also stressed he is keeping an "open mind" about the case as lawyers for the city and Friends of the Parks appeared in his courtroom for a brief procedural hearing. They did so a day after the city warned in court filings that a protracted court fight over the museum "now puts the entire project at risk."

City Hall lawyer Brian Sieve told the judge the museum has begun to "consider other options and other cities that it may locate to."

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