Neverland Ranch (formerly the Sycamore Valley Ranch) is a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, at 5225 Figueroa Mountain Rd, Los Olivos, CA 93441, most famous for being home of Michael Jackson from 1988 to 2005.
Michael Jackson purchased the property from golf course entrepreneur William Bone in 1988 for a sum variously reported to be $16.5 to $30 million. It was Michael Jackson's home, private amusement park and contained, among other things, a floral clock, numerous statues of children, and a petting zoo. The amusement park included two railroads: one 36" gauge with a steam locomotive (Crown 4-4-0, built 1973, with two coaches) and the other a 24-inch gauge amusement train ride-type); and a Ferris wheel, Carousel, Zipper, Octopus, Pirate Ship, Wave Swinger, Super Slide, dragon wagon kiddie roller coaster and bumper cars, and an amusement arcade. Michael Jackson was also an avid art collector. According to Yves Gautier in the book, “Michael Jackson, Backdoor to Neverland”: “Though few know about it, Michael Jackson is a voracious reader and there is a 10,000-volume library in the Neverland Ranch, that focuses on art, psychology and poetry.”
Jackson said in 2003 that he would not return to the property, saying he no longer considered the ranch a home, feeling the 70 police officers had "violated" it in their searches given they did not have a search warrant.[6] In 2006, the facilities were closed and most of the staff were dismissed, with a spokesperson stating that this was the reflection of the fact that Jackson no longer lived there.
Jackson sold this property in November 2008 to Sycamore Valley Ranch Inc, a real estate company that he owned in part).
Following Michael Jackson's death, press reports during June 28–29, 2009 claimed that his family intended to bury him at the Neverland Ranch, eventually turning it into a place of pilgrimage for his fans, similar to how Graceland has become a destination for fans of Elvis Presley. However, the singer's father Joseph Jackson later denied the reports. Construction equipment and gardeners entered the grounds on July 1, prompting speculation that preparations were being made for something related to Jackson's death, but local officials stated that a burial there would be only allowed if the owners of the ranch would go through a permitting process with county and state government before establishing a cemetery at the site. Jackson's 2002 will gives his entire estate to a family trust.
The ranch was the setting for two media appearances on July 2, 2009. Jermaine Jackson took The Today Show's Matt Lauer on a tour of the main house, and he was interviewed on the grounds of the house by Larry King for his show.
In July 2010, California Assemblyman Mike Davis floated the idea of California acquiring the property and running it as a state park. This idea has been introduced before, as such a park could attract thousands of Jackson fans from around the world, bringing in revenue for the state and local area. However, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had called for the closure of many state parks due to lack of funding, and local residents oppose the idea because of the traffic congestion and other problems that a major tourist attraction would bring to this rural area.
In October 2010, reports came out that Michael Jackson's children; Paris, Blanket and Prince Jackson intended to buy the property.
