The secret history of Neverland, Michael Jackson’s cursed ranch

The ranch of Imaginary country who hosted the king of pop for years Michael Jackson is one of the most important and, at the same time, one of the most controversial places that exists in the world.

Initially, the property was intended to be both a home and an amusement park. It was a place where all dreams could come true and it is not for nothing that it is called Neverland (Imaginary countryin Spanish), in reference to the fictional island of Peter Pan where children would never grow up and could always live in search of pleasure.

“People wonder why I always have children around me. And it’s because I’m finding what I never had thanks to them. Disney, amusement parks, video games. I love all those things because when I was a kid, my thing was work, work, work,” the late artist said in his historic 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey.

At the beginning of the 2000s, the situation began to deteriorate for the manor, and therefore for its owner.

After the accusations of pedophilia against the interpreter of Beat him — in 1993 he was investigated for the same crime — police officers came to inspect every possible corner of the large property. It won’t be long before another side of conflict opens: the dispute over the sale of Neverland.

The pop star’s controversial ranch is located more than 60 miles from Santa Barbara, California. It is estimated that in total it has an area of ​​more than 1,000 hectares. Additionally, the main house has 6 bedrooms and three other buildings are dedicated to guests.

Jackson’s first encounter with the mansion took place in 1983, during the recording of the music video for the single Say say say with Paul McCartney. At that time, McCartney was staying at the Neverland mansion, and when the singer Thriller He visited it, liked it so much that he expressed his desire to get it later.

This wish came true in 1987, when the artist bought it from real estate businessman William Bone. It is not known exactly, but it is believed that he paid around $19 million for the property which was then called Sycamore Valley Ranch.

Immediately Jackson called her Imaginary country .

When listing the features of the house, the list is endless. A cinema, a swimming pool, electric trains, an amusement park which even included a Ferris wheel, sports fields, a zoo with exotic animals, relics, electronic games, These are just a few of the notable elements that the estate possessed in its golden age.

Although much of the construction was built by other people, some things were added at the request of the King of Pop. This is the case with trains, since the composer decided to build not one but three different rails for the different types of railways he owned.

Neverland attracted attention for its unique objects and dazzling constructions, but also because a series of important events took place there, such as the marriage of Elizabeth Taylor, Jackson’s friend, to Larry Fortensky, in 1991.

Another milestone was the iconic 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where Jackson allowed the ABC crew into his property to record the conversation.

The importance of this dialogue lies in the fact that it was the first television interview given by the singer since 1979, but also because Winfrey got Jackson to provide details that he had never previously responded to in the media .

Although Neverland was something of a dream come true for Jackson for a while, it ended as the years passed. Following further allegations of sexual abuse against children who visited the house, which emerged in 2003, the house was never seen in the same way by the public again.

This negative perception of the property was also influenced by some audiovisual recordings showing, for example, Jackson walking or playing with children in the large amusement park, which was perceived by the world as strange behavior and increased suspicion at respect.

In 2005, the ranch was searched by agents as part of the trial for alleged sexual abuse that occurred at Neverland. Every area of ​​the property and its surroundings was searched by the officers, looking for evidence that could support the accusations against the artist. However, the courts were ultimately unable to verify the facts and the singer was acquitted of the charges against him.

After that, Jackson never wanted to live there again. For him, the idea that it was a house had already collapsed.

According to The New York Times, In 2008, the property was on the verge of foreclosure, as the pop star was still awaiting payment of the nearly $25 million he was expected to pay for the property. However, the same year, the Colony Capital company took charge of the amount owed.

With Jackson’s departure from Neverland, little by little, the curiosities from his ranch would begin to be sold. Some rides, such as the Ferris wheel, roller coasters, and bumper cars, were purchased and moved to fairs or other amusement parks.

A year later, Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 from a propofol overdose. As he decided in his life, he never resided in Neverland again.

Although at first there was speculation that his family tried to have the musician buried in what was his home for many years, and at the same time make it a gathering place for his followers, this ultimately did not materialize.

In 2015, the Neverland Ranch was put up for sale for $100 million. This figure has never been reached. Each year the price dropped even more, but the house still didn’t sell, probably because of the stigma attached to the house and its surroundings. It was even renamed by its original name, Sycamore Valley Ranch.

It was not until late 2020 that the property was purchased by American businessman and former friend of Jackson, Ron Burkle. The amount paid was much lower than the initial amount: $22 million, or almost a fifth of the original price. At the time, Burkle’s spokesperson said the purchase was motivated by being a way to invest in the future.

Following the deal, Neverland became one of several properties managed by Ron Burkle. According to The Wall Street Journalthe mogul owns properties in California and New York, some of which have historical significance, such as a house in Beverly Hills that was owned by actor and comedian Harold Lloyd in the 1920s.

Just a year before the singer’s controversial mansion could be sold, HBO first Leave Neverland , documentary directed by Dan Reed. The film brought to the table testimonies from men who accused them of being sexually assaulted by Jackson as children, which allegedly happened during their visits to the California mansion.

It won’t be long after the premiere that the King of Pop’s heirs will file a lawsuit against HBO for $100 million, due to the termination of a contract concluded in 1992 between Jackson and the American channel for the transmission of his tour Dangerous .

One of the details of this agreement stated that HBO could not disclose confidential information about the artist, neither before nor after the conclusion of the contract. In the opinion of Jackson’s entourage, this clause would have been directly violated with the appearance of Leave Neverland On the screen. Until the end of 2020, a US appeals court ruled in favor of Jackson’s heirs.