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Neverland Ranch might become a sex-assault rehab for kids[/size]<br /><br />By Stacy Brown<br /><br />February 1, 2015 | 6:00am<br /><br />
<br /><br />A “[Jackson]land” shrine, a state park and a therapy camp for molested children are among the proposals pitched by potential buyers of Michael Jackson’s shuttered $75 million Neverland Ranch.<br /><br />While two bidders’ desire to turn the 2,700-acre property into a Graceland-like attraction might thrill the Gloved One’s fans, another businessman’s proposal for sex-assault rehab would likely have him twitching in his tomb.<br /><br />The local businessman offered “in the neighborhood of $40 million” for the use, said a source with direct knowledge of the sale process.<br /><br />“His goal is for the place to be used to help children in a serene setting recover from the trauma of sex abuse,” the source said.<br /><br />“The plan is to have children come there for treatment, and they will also hire trained therapists who would help the victims through the use of equine-assisted therapy, which works to improve the kids’ self-esteem, and it helps them to become more outgoing.”<br /><br />[Jackson] was accused multiple times of luring kids to the Los Olivos, Calif., ranch to molest them.<br /><br />In its glory days, it housed an amusement park, a two-story arcade, candy stores, a movie theater, and orangutans, llamas, a lion, snakes, horses and elephants.<br /><br />Colony Capital, a hedge fund headed by real-estate investor Thomas Barrack, seized control of the ranch from the debt-ridden singer in 2008, the year before his death at age 50.<br /><br />It believes it can sell the estate for $75 million.<br /><br /><br />While it waits on a sale, Colony has put out a welcome mat for the Jackson family, although the castle-like main building has no furniture and the amusements are mostly gone.<br /><br />Jackson’s 16-year-old daughter, Paris, in particular, loves visiting the grounds. In the last year, while recovering from a suicide attempt, she frequently made the 100-mile trip from the family compound in Calabasas. She even planted a Zen garden where a Ferris wheel once stood.<br /><br />At her request, workers also reinstalled next to her garden an image of a boy in the moon, her father’s favorite logo.<br /><br />The land is zoned for agricultural use.<br /><br />“The intent is to preserve these lands . . . It certainly is a gorgeous estate, especially at this time of year, with the shooting stars and other wildflowers coming out,” another source said.<br /><br />“Much of the land is quite steep, but there are some gentle slopes and flat valleys here and there. Probably the best use is to continue as a rural retreat, perhaps plant some grapes.”<br /><br />California officials have showed interest in the property as a state park, but the price was too steep, said William Etling, a local real-estate broker.<br /><br />Other investors are looking to cash in on [Jackson]’s image.<br /><br />“We know of two bids, one with multiple partners, who want to make it a shrine to Michael Jackson, a Graceland-type thing,” said the source close to the sale process.<br /><br />“However, it’s unlikely that Michael’s estate would allow that to happen because they’d have to grant permission to use Michael’s likeness.”<br /><br />One of the bidders already has a large collection of [Jackson] memorabilia, including sequined gloves and socks.<br /><br />Jackson’s estate executors remain bitter about Neverland’s fate.<br /><br />“We are frustrated, bitterly disappointed and saddened that it has come to this,” a rep said. “Sadly, Michael lost control of Neverland during his life as a result of advice from a former manager.”<br /><br />
BillieJeanKingofPop
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