The price tag for the beleaguered Obama Presidential Center is now projected to top $1 billion, nearly triple its original estimate, the foundation overseeing construction of the Chicago facility told Fox News Digital.Confirmation of the ten-figure cost marks another chapter in the troubled history of the much-delayed project, which opened five years behind schedule amid controversy over its use of public parkland and claims that subcontractors were stiffed out of millions of dollars.It comes as newly released financial records reviewed by Fox News Digital offer a fresh look at the finances of the Obama Foundation, the former president's private nonprofit that oversaw construction of the billion-dollar project.The sprawling campus on the Windy City's south side was originally expected to open in 2021, with construction costs estimated at $300 million to $350 million.
But years of federal reviews, legal challenges and construction delays preceded its eventual opening in June 2026, by which time projected costs had skyrocketed to approximately $850 million.Hailed by Democrats and supporters as a historic investment in the community and a tribute to the former president's legacy, the center was promoted as a catalyst for jobs, economic growth and new opportunities for underserved communities.BUREAUCRATS HIDE TRUE PRICE OF OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER AS TAXPAYERS HIT WITH INFRASTRUCTURE BILLFormer President Barack Obama and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, where construction costs are now projected to reach approximately $1 billion, nearly triple the upper end of the original estimate.(Taylor Hill/Getty Images; Talía Sprague/Bloomberg via Getty Images)"While we continue to reconcile costs and plan ahead for additional capital improvements, we anticipate our total cost for constructing the campus is approximately $1 billion - again, all raised in private contributions," Emily Bittner, the Obama Foundation's vice president of communications, told Fox News Digita...