George Lucas sets up shop on former military base

Last Updated: Monday, June 27, 2005 | 2:21 PM ET

CBC Arts

Filmmaker George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars series of movies, cut the ribbon on his new headquarters Saturday.

Lucasfilm will now be located on a 23-acre complex in San Francisco's Presidio, a former military base and national park.

"I see it as an opportunity to save the park," Lucas told 2,000 guests at the opening ceremony. "I love the park. I did not want to see it turned into a shopping mall."

The Jedi master Yoda. (AP photo)

Lucas began building the new base for his movie empire nine years ago, after he submitted a winning proposal to city officials.

Dubbed the Letterman Digital Arts Center, the complex replaces the crumbling Letterman Hospital.

Some of the decorative touches remind visitors of the filmmaker's creations. A stone fountain of Yoda – the ancient Jedi master who was first introduced in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back – sits at the front door.

The hallways of many of the buildings sport framed artwork from the films that inspired Lucas to become a director, like the 1958 Steve McQueen flick The Blob.

Lucas says he doesn't plan to spend much time at the centre. Instead, he wants to focus on making movies, including a much-discussed fourth Indiana Jones picture.

"In terms of being a corporate executive, I'm pretty much tired," he said.

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Lucas said the opening marked a new phase in the life of Lucasfilm.

"We're in the process of growing out to become a bigger company. And the movie part of it is going to go into television, which is a more stable kind of business than making giant movies. We just finished the opening of [Revenge of the Sith], and now it's exciting to be finishing the opening of this."

In the run-up to the release of Revenge of the Sith, the final Star Wars film, Lucas announced that his space fantasy would continue as a TV series.

Lucas, who grew up in Modesto, Calif., has always prided himself on his Northern California roots. He has purposely kept his distance from Hollywood and the studio system, choosing instead to base himself in California's Marin County.

He will hold on to his old headquarters, Skywalker Ranch, for possible use as a filming location.

Among the luminaries on hand for the opening was Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, who served as a mentor to Lucas, and California Senator Barbara Boxer. The crowd was entertained by musical acts including Chris Isaak, Bonnie Raitt and Boz Scaggs.