Information about Neverland Ranch

Neverland Ranch

Location:	5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441
Size:	Appromixately 3, 000 acres
Employees:	Approximately 70
Acquisition date:	1988

Neverland Valley Ranch is owned by American pop musician Michael Jackson. It is located at 5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441, about 5 miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, California . It was once operated as his private amusement park and home when it opened in 1988.^[1] The name Neverland came from the fictional island in the story Peter Pan.

Background

Sitting as a high sand dune in a valley, Neverland is located about five miles (8 km) north of Los Olivos (about eight miles north of the town of Santa Ynez), in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Long before Michael Jackson made Neverland his home, the area surrounding Neverland consisted of working ranches. Today, the area is made of vineyards. Neverland, which is over 2,800 acres (11 km²) in size,^[2] contains, among other things, a zoo and a theme park, with a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and bumper cars. As with much of Neverland, little is known about the value of Michael Jackson's former home. In early 2004, news program Entertainment Tonight estimated Neverland Ranch to be valued at approximately $12.0 million. However, the Santa Barbara County assessor's office believes it is worth $6 million. Forbes estimates the ranch may be worth a lot more than that. According to an article on a Jackson family memorabilia auction in Las Vegas, Nevada, the largest one yet, "a 1987 contract detailing his $30 million purchase of the California ranch that became the infamous "Neverland"" was pulled out.

While Neverland was open, it served as the venue of numerous parties held by Michael Jackson. In 1991, Jackson hosted friend Elizabeth Taylor's wedding to Larry Fortensky. On September 13, 2003, he held a grand party to raise money for Oneness, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and pop artist Romero Britto's Brazilian charity, "E Ai Como é Que Fica?" It was dubbed "Michael's mother of all parties".^[3] According to a Jackson spokeswoman, groups of children continued to visit the ranch during the 2005 trial, but Jackson had little time to meet with them. After the trial ended in June 2005, Michael Jackson made his primary residence in Bahrain.

Some allege that children at Neverland were reckless at times and were not bound by many rules. Children were told to follow a few rules, and were allowed to go about Neverland at will. The children were free to eat whatever and whenever they wanted and sleeping hours were not very regular. Kiki Fournier, a former housekeeper, compared Neverland to Pinocchio's Pleasure Island.^[4]

Police searches

In both 1993 and 2003, Jackson was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior towards young boys who had spent time at Neverland. The 1993 allegations were settled out of court, but the 2003 allegations lead to a trial in which Jackson was found not guilty on all 10 counts.^[5] In connection with the 2005 molestation trial, detectives searched Neverland twice. The first search was conducted on November 18, 2003 by more than sixty police officers. The second search took place just over a year later on December 3, 2004.^[6]

Neverland's main mansion closed

After the 2003 police search of Neverland, Jackson decided he would no longer reside at the ranch, and lived at a number of other residences including one in Beverly Hills, but returned to Neverland in late 2004. "I won't live there ever again," he said. "It's a house now. It's not a home anymore. I'll only visit." When the 2005 molestation trial came to an end, Jackson left the United States and Neverland for Bahrain.

Speculation was rampant about the fate of Neverland, but on March 16, 2006, the main house was officially closed and most of the employees were terminated without benefits or pensions (though approximately $400,000 in back wages were paid). However, all workers finally were compensated under full compliance of law. It was announced that Jackson would not be returning to the United States in the foreseeable future.

Animals still at Neverland are currently being cared for by a Neverland employee. Despite allegations of animal mistreatment, the driver of a delivery truck that provided Neverland's animals with food stated, "The animals are well taken care of...". The County Of Santa Barbara removed nearly all of the animals.^[7] USDA investigators echoed the same beliefs when they found no credible evidence to suggest that mistreatment claims were true.^[8]

In July of 2005, a month after the 2005 acquittal of Jackson, a Jackson spokesman told a German newspaper that Michael may build a Disneyland style home near Berlin, based on the German fairytale castle Neuschwanstein.^[9]

On August 25, 2006, a wildfire burned about 40 acres of the ranch, coming within a quarter-mile of the main residence. It is rumoured that Michael Jackson may return to the United States to reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. ^[10]

References

External links

• Satellite Images of Neverland

•  • [ e] Michael Jackson
Album discography
Got to Be There Ben Music and Me Forever, Michael Off the Wall Thriller Bad Dangerous HIStory Invincible TBA
Tours
Destiny Tour Triumph Tour Victory Tour Bad World Tour Dangerous World Tour HIStory World Tour
Filmography
The Wiz Thriller Captain EO Moonwalker Ghosts
Records and achievements
List of Michael Jackson's awards
Controversies
Neverland Ranch 1993 child molestation allegations against Michael Jackson Living with Michael Jackson Michael Jackson 2005 child molestation trial Physical appearance Post trial lawsuits against Michael Jackson