Cousins in bid to buy Jackson’s Neverland

Mar 11 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

TWO North East property tycoons claim to have launched an audacious bid to buy Michael Jackson’s fantasy estate, Neverland.

Troubled pop-star Jackson, 49, now lives in the Arab-state of Bahrain but runs the risk of losing the ranch if he is unable to pay back a £12m debt by March 19.

Now cousins Liam Collins, 29, and David Bones, 26, both originally from Longbenton, North Tyneside, have stepped in and say they will fork out between £5m and £15m to take control of the ranch in Santa Barbara, California.

They plan to turn it into a shrine dedicated to Michael Jackson, much like the Graceland attraction in Memphis, Tennessee, in memory of Elvis Presley. And they will offer Jackson the chance to rent it back.

Mr Collins, who is a member of the Gateshead Harriers 400m hurdling team, said: “There is the opportunity to turn it into ‘Michael Jackson Land’.

“Although he is not that popular any more after he turned his back on America, he is still the biggest star ever.

“We would hope to use the rights for Michael Jackson and his image, then it would be worth the investment.

“If we couldn’t get those rights, we might look at trying to get some other people from the Jackson family involved, maybe Janet.”

Mr Collins and Mr Bones were both raised in Longbenton, but they have both moved away to run a property development company together.

They spent their youth raising money in an attempt to fund Mr Collins’ running career.

The pair used to dance on Northumberland Street, in Newcastle, donning a Michael Jackson face mask and performing the moonwalk.

Mr Collins said: “I danced for years with David, starting in 2000 raising money for athletics.

“We did a routine, but our Jackson impression was always the most popular part of the act. But I became disillusioned with it all and we thought ‘let’s raise some money to buy some property’.

“So we’ve been in this business now for four to five years and it has grown very quickly. Ideally we would want to buy the ranch without the help of investors, but if we can’t do that, then we will relinquish some shares in the business.”

The property could cost as much as £15m, but the North East entrepreneurs are hoping to beat off competition before it goes on the open market.

Mr Collins said: “If we could pick it up for between £5m to £10m then it would be a good buy, even if we can’t get the rights and we had to pull the property down.

“But we are looking to buy it before it goes to auction. If it does go that far, it could be good or bad for us.

“The area that it is in is not that great, even if it does have 2,600 acres. It is the fact that it is Michael Jackson’s house that makes it valuable. But ideally we would want to pick it up before it goes to auction.”

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