Michael Jackson’s Hayvenhurst Home Could Be Open To The Public
The Michael Jackson Estate, which handles Jackson’s affairs on behalf of his mother and three children, is said to be exploring the idea of opening Michael Jackson‘s Hayvenhurst mansion to the public as a tourist destination, TMZ reports. The concept, TMZ sources say, would allow the public to ride in Hollywood tour buses or go to the property as individuals, and then take a room-by-room tour.
The Hayvenhurst home in Encino, California, was also tagged as Michael Jackson’s first “Neverland.” It was originally bought by Michael’s father, Joe Jackson, in 1971, at the height of Jackson 5’s booming career. When the old Jackson suffered financially from “some lousy investments,” Michael Jackson purchased it from his father. Jackson has reportedly spent two years renovating the house. The “Jacksonification” of Hayvenhurst resulted to the addition of a two-story wing with separate living quarters, a Japanese koi pond, a movie theater, and a six foot-tall Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs diorama.
The Jackson Hayvenhurst mansion has laid witness to a lot of Michael Jackson moments. It is where Jackson had his first interview for his Rolling Stone cover, it once housed his famous chimpanzee, Bubbles, and it was also in Hayvenhurst where he recovered from the first nose job he underwent in 1979. Most significantly, this is where Jackson built the recording studio where he recorded some of the most unforgettable Michael Jackson hits from his record-breaking Thriller and Off The Wall albums. The tour would be a great opportunity for Michael Jackson fans to have a glimpse of the historic mansion where Michael Jackson laid down the tracks for his classic hits “Billie Jean,” “We Are the World,” and “Beat It,” among others.
TMZ sources added, though, that nothing is concrete yet, as the estate will have to check if the zoning law allows it. If not, could they get a variance. If the law permits it and the plan pushes through, this will be another chance for the Michael Jackson die-hard fans to celebrate his legacy.
Six years after Jackson died of cardiac arrest in 2009 and surviving from a debt of $500 million, Michael Jackson’s estate is actually positively blooming. The Hayvenhurst mansion was said to have grossed nearly $2 billion last June. The money reportedly came from the profits of the documentary-concert film about Michael Jackson, This Is It, the cirque show Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, the $50 million worth of sales of the Michael Jackson albums, as well as other ventures like the partnership with Sony Mobile in 2014.
[Image via Stan Honda / Getty Images]
