Officials prepare for unconfirmed memorial

Neverland owner urges residents to be accomodating to mourners

By COLBY FRAZIER — July 1, 2009

Although Santa Barbara County officials couldn’t confirm reports that the family of the late pop singer Michael Jackson was planning a memorial at his former ranch near Los Olivos, some county agencies spent yesterday grappling with the logistical nightmare such an event would unleash.

If a memorial service were to take place, the Los Angeles Times reported it could spawn a continuous traffic jam that would stretch unbroken along the 125 miles of highway that separates Los Angeles from the Santa Ynez Valley.

William Boyer, the county’s communications director, said as of yesterday afternoon, the county had not yet heard for certain if such an event was planned.

“Although the county has no official confirmation of an event here for Michael Jackson, county departments are preparing to accommodate a large event that is likely to occur should a memorial service be announced,” he said.

County Sheriff’s Department officials said they were engaged in join operational planning with state and all local safety agencies to brace for a memorial. The Sheriff’s Department also designated a special public information officer to field the crushing volume of media requests.

Since Jackson’s death last Thursday, activity around the 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch, which was recently sold, had been relatively calm. On Monday, however, activity in and around Los Olivos started to pick up, with satellite news trucks trickling into the small town as rumors swirled about the memorial service.

While it remains unclear exactly what will become of Neverland, a letter sent to media by Tom Barrack, Neverland’s new owner, has only fueled speculation that the ranch could become a Graceland-like attraction.

Barrack took Neverland off Jackson’s hands last year, writing a $22.5 million check to prevent the ranch from falling into foreclosure. Barrack also set Jackson’s comeback, which was to include 50 sold-out shows in London, in motion.

Barrack, who at one time was estimated to have a net worth of more than $2 billion, already owns a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, and in an “open letter to the Santa Barbara community” sent yesterday, urged residents to be accommodating to the “world” that will “quickly descend on Santa Barbara and Neverland as fans continue to grieve …”

“The universal curiosity about Neverland and its connection to Michael is an unchangeable fact,” Barrack wrote. “How grieving fans are treated as they arrive to pay their respects will be viewed with great interest by the world.”

Though Barrack’s statement could be seen as confirmation that, at least in the short term, he has big plans for Neverland, he said the sprawling ranch, which is located along a narrow patch of asphalt on Figueroa Mountain Road and is in close proximity to two small schools, is less certain.

“The consideration of the future of the Neverland property will be addressed in due time through normal process and with appropriate deliberation,” Barrack wrote.

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Thank goodness for "normal process" : 7/1/2009

If the SB County Powers-That-Be can stand up to Barrack's wealth and influence in his distasteful rush to cash in on the Jackson death, then those of us who truly love the tranquility and peace of our valley can rest assured he will never, never get the permits he needs to turn Neverland into an attraction. He certainly can't bury the poor man there. BTW, Michael Jackson came to hate this area and by extension Neverland after his trial. He would be horrified to be taken back to a place to which he vowed "never" to return.

ValleyBoy

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Wow Valley Boy : 7/1/2009

I never thought about how Michael Jackson would actually feel about that. But, what you said makes a lot of sense. Barrack's letter is a self-indulgent, gag-worthy rant. Who the eff is he to address Santa Barbara? Get off your high horse money bags!

Unimpressed

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Update : 7/1/2009

The Jackson family just released a statement! They say: "Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland. Plans are underway regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson, and we will announce those plans shortly."

Thank God

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