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The construction budget for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago significantly increased from its initial projections to its completion in June 2026. When the project was first conceived in 2016, the Obama Foundation estimated the total cost at approximately $330 million (The Real Deal, WFIN). This figure rose to $500 million when formal designs were unveiled in 2017 and escalated further to $700 million in 2021 (Fox Business, Chicago Tribune). By the time of the center's grand opening on June 19, 2026, the Associated Press and the Obama Foundation confirmed that the final all-in project cost, including construction, exhibits, and finishes, reached approximately $850 million (AP News, PBS News). Foundation spokeswoman Emily Bittner verified the $850 million estimate, noting that the increases were driven by pandemic-related delays, a protracted five-year legal battle over the use of Jackson Park, and expanded project scope (The Real Deal, ENR).