The Chicago suburb of Park Ridge has rejected a proposal to erect a statue of acclaimed actor Harrison Ford. He may be the town's favorite son, but it turns out that the town was not one of his favorite places.
Ford, famous for the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" blockbusters, attended high school in Park Ridge in the 1950s. And he hated it. Ford has said publicly that he was bullied to the point that other kids would roll him down a hill into thorny bushes on a daily basis.
Rotblatt Amrany, the art studio that has created some of the most iconic statues in the Chicago area, including a Michael Jordan statue at the United Center, was behind the pitch for the Ford statue.
Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney asked if the studio had Ford's permission to proceed with such a project.
"Based on some things I've heard through Park Ridge lore about Harrison Ford and leaving Park Ridge, I would just want to make sure he was comfortable with what we're doing if we're taking that step," Maloney said.
Omri Amrany, the co-owner of the studio, said that they would "make the communication and arrange it and get permission" from Ford if the city signaled it would like to proceed.
Harmony Harrington, a member of the city council, said proceeding with that plan felt like "putting the cart before the horse."
Another hurdle the statue faced: paying for it. City staff said the cost of installing such a statue could run from $100,000 to $250,000, depending on how many accoutrements the city decided to add to the art.
Amrany argued that installing the statue would boost civic pride and bring more tourism to Park Ridge.
Ford "has an enormous fan base and it's easy to imagine people from nearby communities stopping by to have their picture taken with a sculpture," he said.
Then again, it seemed unlikely that Ford would be among the people excited about the idea.
