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She was revived for the filming of “Michael”.What actually happened to Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch?
In July 2009, to Ranch was still shining in all its glory (archive photo)
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A legendary property – like its former owner.
Michael Jackson (†50) lived here from 1988 to 2005 – then he left and never returned. For him, Neverland Ranch was a part of the childhood he never had. Fans still make pilgrimages here today, even though you can hardly see anything.
After 2005, Michael Jackson was never back at the ranch
She was revived for the filming of “Michael,” although she did not appear in the finished film. But in real life, Michael Jackson's (1958-2009) ranch Neverland has been derelict since 2005. That year, the singer went on trial on charges of child abuse. Jackson was acquitted on all counts. According to media reports, he no longer wanted to enter Neverland after that.
Michael Jackson bought the ranch in California's Santa Ynez Valley in 1988. He is said to have paid $17 million for the property, which was then called Sycamore Valley Ranch.
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Michael Jackson had an amusement park, a private cinema and a zoo built on the site. He gave the property the appropriate name Neverland – after the kingdom of the same name from “Peter Pan”. There the boy, who doesn't want to grow up, lives with the “Lost Boys”, a group of homeless children. Jackson repeatedly invited sick children or those from poor families to Neverland. They were allowed to stay in the private amusement park for free.
As Jacko's sister La Toya Jackson (69) wrote in her book “Starting Over”, her brother supposedly wanted to catch up on his childhood by building Neverland. After all, the future King of Pop was on stage at an early age.
This happened after Michael Jackson left Neverland
Although he now lived in Bahrain with his family, Neverland remained owned by Michael Jackson after 2005. The superstar repeatedly denied rumors of a sale. In 2007, it was rumored that Brad Pitt was interested in buying it.
In 2008, Neverland was allegedly threatened with foreclosure, but this was averted. The investment firm Colony Capital, with which Jackson entered into a joint venture, saved Neverland. As part of the deal, the property's name was changed back to Sycamore Valley Ranch. The amusement park and zoo were dismantled.
After Michael Jackson's death in June 2009, there were rumors that the star would be buried in the former Neverland. A place of pilgrimage for fans like Elvis Presley's Graceland was in the room.
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Selling for $22 million instead of $100 million
The property was then for sale in 2015. The prize was $100 million. But nobody wanted to strike. The targeted selling price continued to fall in the following years. In 2020, billionaire Ron Burkle finally bought it for $22 million.
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The businessman, who previously worked as a financial advisor for Michael Jackson, was said to have been particularly interested in building land, it was said at the time. So now the revival for “Michael”. The material shot could be seen in a planned second part of the extremely successful biopic. (spotonnews/ajo)
Sources used: Spot On News
