The Obama Presidential Center is currently in its beginning stages in Chicago and will be located in Jackson Park on the Southside of Chicago, near the University of Chicago.
According to Obama.Org, The Obama Presidential Center will consist of four main buildings on its campus, including a museum, a library, a forum for people of different backgrounds to come together for programming, and a plaza serving as a public space for events of many different natures.
Now Nike has decided to donate $5 million for Barack Obama to be able to create an athletic facility on the premises.
President of the Nike Foundation and community impact officer, Jorge Casimiro, explained the reason for the athletic brand company’s donation stating, “Obama has said it wouldn’t be his presidential center if there wasn’t a place to play some hoops.”
“We wanted to make sure it had a building in the center focused on recreation, play, and athletics,” he continued.
Overall, the coming Obama center campus showcases how important it is for people to take care of their physical health and have an open space for the community, according to Forbes. The center will even feature a children’s playground as well as walking paths.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“It is about the transformative power of sport. It is about coming together, about having a space to run around in and have fun and play, but also a space to have meetings. Both foundations believe people, especially young people, can change the world, particularly through sport,” said Casimiro.
The center is set to open to the public in the coming years.
“At the end of the day, it is going to be a symbol to the world and visitors about why this is important,” he added.
Nike has been partnering with the Obamas since Michelle Obama’s 2013 Let’s Move! Active Schools initiative, donating a whopping $50 million in five years, according to Forbes.
