The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago was pitched as a privately funded legacy project, an archive, museum, and civic space to honor the 44th presidency. But five years into construction, the numbers and public reaction tell a different story. Originally estimated at $300 million, the project has now ballooned to $850 million. The center is being built on 19.3 acres of public parkland in Jackson Park, a decision that sparked lawsuits, environmental concerns, and community