China To Build Jackson's Neverland Ranch Replica

Many ways to honor the King of Pop, Michael Jackon. In China, developers and local businessmen will build a simulacrum of the Neverland Ranch to commemorate Michael Jackson.

As much as U.S. $ 15 million or around Rp 15.2 billion prepared by Chinese developers to build new Neverland on the island of Choming, north of Shanghai in the Yangtze River. They are targeting in the year 2010 the replica of that world legend's house will be completed.

"We want to give a tribute at once to give Chinese people the opportunity to express their love to Michael," said Qiu Xuefan, president of the Shanghai Lanji Group and one of the investors of the project. The plan is, Neverland imitation is made exactly the same as the real Neverland which indeed located in Santa Barbara, California.

Qiu Xuefan told the newspaper that the tribute to Jackson will include not only the palace-like home but the garden, an artificial lake, a cinema and a zoo. Qiu Xuefan told the China Daily newspaper that the company also intends to set up a fund, with profits used to encourage children with musical talent.

Since the King of Pop's death on June 25, this Chinese company has been collecting Jackson memorabilia through public auctions and private channels and these items will be on display at the Chinese park.

Neverland Valley Ranch or previously named the Sycamore Valley Ranch is a developed property located in Santa Barbara County, California, US. This Place-Like Home become most famous residence for being a home of American entertainer Michael Jackson from 1988 to 2005.

Neverland name, given based on the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up. The ranch is located about five miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos, and about eight miles (13 km) north of the town of Santa Ynez. The Santa Barbara County Assessor's office says the ranch is approximately 2,676 acres (10.83 km2).

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 Jackson's home and private amusement park and contained, among other things, a floral clock, numerous statues of children, a zoo and a theme park, with two railroads (one 36" gauge with a steam locomotive (Crown 4-4-0, built 1973, with 4 coaches) and a 24" gauge amusement ride-type), a ferris wheel, carousel, zipper, spider, sea dragon, wave swinger, super slide, dragon wagon kiddie roller coaster and bumper cars.

During his residency there, Jackson brought groups of children and their families to the facility as day visitors. He also hosted various children overnight, a practice which came under scrutiny when Jackson was accused of sexual misconduct with minors at the ranch, first in 1993 and again in 2003.

Jackson said in 2005 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. In 2006 the facilities were closed and most of the staff dismissed, with a spokesperson stating that this was a reflection of the fact that Jackson no longer lived there.