Through all the sweat and expense of constructing. securing and maintaining the “Revenge of the Jedi” set, only one question really remains — what should be done with the thing?
Opinions differ. “I say we blow it right out of the sand,” said Chris Campbell, the assistant art director who helped design and construct the $1 million anti-gravity sand barge and its dune-like surroundings.
"To blow the boat up would be just excellent; it's in the script and they want to do it. (But) they're talking about doing it in miniature "
Despite Campbell’s feelings, Lucasfilm executives have since decided against blowing up the set. Instead the company has solicited bids for salvage. Louis Friedman, unit superVisor for Yuma operations, said he is mulling over about 30 bids from those interested in either salvaging lumber or moving the sand barge to another location.
Friedman offered the City of Yuma the set as a gift, but was thanked and turned down after City staff saw just how big the creation really is and how expensive it would be to move.
Campbell noted that the bulk of the good wood is in the sturdy platform base, not in the ship itself. The barge was constructed for optimum appearance with sturdiness a second, albeit important, consideration, Campbell said.
One thing’s for certain. The whole four-acre set area must be clean by the end of June. That’s the termination date of Lucasfilm Ltd ‘s seven-month lease with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, although Friedman said he could get that extended.
