Fans at Neverland disappointed

Santa Barbara News-Press, Mike Eliason

Photo

FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2003, file photo, a Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department patrol car sits parked across from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch Railroad Station near Los Olivos, Calif. (AP Photo/Santa Barbara News-Press, Mike Eliason, File)

LOS OLIVOS, Calif. (AP) — Adoring fans and dozens of news crews poured into this bucolic town near Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch on Wednesday expecting to witness the finale to the story of the King of Pop — only to learn their hasty trips were unnecessary.

A large crowd of mourners set up camp outside Neverland’s gates with lawn chairs and coolers of bottled water, while hotel rooms surrounding Jackson’s estate sold out within minutes of the first — and eventually, erroneous — reports Tuesday that the pop icon might be buried there.

Residents of Los Olivos, who were plagued by reporters after Jackson’s 2003 arrest on child molestation charges, once more had their lives upended by streams of TV vans and fans eager to mark the passing of a pop culture giant.

The excitement, however, appeared to be for nothing.

A Jackson family spokesman said in a statement Wednesday that a public memorial was being planned, but it would not take place at Neverland. No further details were provided.

Also Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Jackson would likely be buried in Los Angeles, although the family could have a private memorial at Neverland after Jackson is buried.

One site under consideration for a public memorial is the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Many of Jackson’s die-hard fans refused to believe that the family would bury their most famous son without acknowledging the supporters who helped propel him to superstardom.

More than three dozen TV news trucks and several hundred cars parked outside the gates of Neverland, and yellow police tape kept gawkers off the property of two private schools across the street.

The narrow, two-lane road lined with cattle ranches and oak-studded hills was nearly impassable to traffic and fans, forcing visitors to park more than a mile away and make the final pilgrimage to Neverland on foot.

Inside the gates of the theme-park-style Neverland estate, at least two dozen workers could be seen placing fresh sod along the drive to the main house, mowing the lawn and doing maintenance on an ornate, iron-and-gold gate within the ranch. The fountains were on, and sprinklers had been set out to water the grass. Fresh flowers surrounded its train station.