The Obama Presidential Center, a large community campus on Chicago's South Side, opened to the public on June 19, 2026. However, its opening follows a period of rising costs and strong disagreements within the local community.

奧巴馬總統中心是一個位於芝加哥南區的大型社區校園，於 2026 年 6 月 19 日向公眾開放。然而，其開幕之前經歷了一段成本攀升以及當地社區強烈分歧的時期。

The project's budget grew significantly over time, with the final cost reaching $850 million, far above the original estimate of $350 million. Although the campus is funded by private donations, the state of Illinois spent about $120 million on nearby infrastructure, and total public spending is expected to reach $200 million. Meanwhile, critics have expressed mixed opinions about the architecture, with some praising its design and others arguing that it looks too imposing.

該項目的預算隨時間大幅增加，最終成本達到 8.5 億美元，遠高於最初預估的 3.5 億美元。雖然校園由私人捐款資助，但伊利諾州在附近的基礎設施上花費了約 1.2 億美元，預計總公共支出將達到 2 億美元。同時，批評者對建築風格看法不一，有些人讚賞其設計，而有些人則認為其外觀過於雄偉。

Local tensions have also risen regarding how the center affects the Woodlawn and South Shore neighborhoods. Community groups have asserted that the project causes gentrification, which forces low-income Black residents to leave because property taxes and rents are increasing. This issue is linked to a history of underinvestment in the area. Consequently, some local leaders, such as Pastor Jeffery Campbell, have started building affordable housing specifically for seniors to help them stay in their homes.

當地對於中心如何影響 Woodlawn 和 South Shore 社區的緊張局勢也隨之升溫。社區團體聲稱該項目導致了士紳化，由於房產稅和租金增加，迫使低收入黑人居民遷出。這一問題與該地區長期投資不足的歷史有關。因此，一些當地領袖，例如 Pastor Jeffery Campbell，已開始專為長者興建可負擔房屋，以幫助他們留在家中。

Furthermore, the project's goals of diversity and inclusion have faced legal challenges. In 2025, a Black-owned subcontractor filed a lawsuit claiming that minority-owned firms were treated unfairly. There have also been reports of unpaid subcontractors, though the Obama Foundation blamed these issues on the main contractor, Lakeside Alliance. Despite these problems, some residents emphasize that the center is a necessary investment for a region that has been ignored for too long.

此外，該項目關於多元化與包容性的目標面臨法律挑戰。2025 年，一家黑人擁有的分包商提起訴訟，聲稱少數族裔擁有的公司受到不公平對待。亦有報導指出部分分包商未獲付款，但奧巴馬基金會將這些問題歸咎於主承包商 Lakeside Alliance。儘管存在這些問題，部分居民強調，對於一個被忽視太久的地區而言，該中心是一項必要的投資。

The Obama Presidential Center is now open, but it continues to be a subject of debate regarding the balance between city development and the stability of local residents.

奧巴馬總統中心現已開放，但關於城市發展與當地居民穩定之間的平衡，仍持續是一個爭論話題。