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Sycamore Valley Ranch (Neverland Ranch) Purchase

Date confirmed by William Bone in “Radar Online” (archived) (“purchase was entered into on or about February 27th 1988”)

William, Bone, original owner, “Radar Online” (October 9, 2009) (archived)

[William] Bone claims Jackson wished to buy the property from him but they could not agree on fair market value therefore to consummate the deal an agreement of purchase was entered into on or about February 27th 1988.

Meaning, Bone accepted a lower selling price than he thought the property was worth with the agreement that when the property was resold Jackson would split the profits with him.

Gloria: Rhodes Berlin, neighbor, “Michael Jackson Beat” blog (June 15, 2010)

R.J.: In your book, you mentioned that Michael was very definite about what he wanted. Were there any other ranches Michael seriously considered before aiming solely at Neverland?

Gloria: "The answer is positively not. He knew exactly what he wanted and had actually been on this ranch before. The only thing was that he didn’t know where it was located. We had to find it. The other thing is that when Michael fell in love with something he would get it."

R.J.: You’ve mentioned that William Bone originally asked for $32million and what he was being offered was a disgrace. What ultimately made him change his mind when he was offered $17 million?

Gloria: "I completed my negotiations at $17mm and then, at their insistence, turned the transaction over to John Branca, Frank DiLeo and Marshall Gelfand and I understand that negotiations may have continued between them and William Bone, but I was not informed of the outcome. I have heard that Bill Bone is suing the Michael Jackson estate for an additional payment that is allegedly due him from the recent sale of a majority interest in the Neverland Ranch – but this is rumor and I haven’t been able to confirm it."

R.J.: Legend has it that Michael had both written and produced a track called “Neverland Landing”. Do you know anything about that?

Gloria: "It’s quite possible he did although I never heard it. Michael had many different types of “landings” at Neverland. Once he arrived in a hot air balloon. Another time he and his friends parachuted into Neverland! I also saw him jump from the roof into a tree. My heart almost left my body and I told him it was very very dangerous. I told his father of his antics and he said 'Don’t be surprised at anything Michael does. He is as agile as a monkey. Michael knows how to take care of himself.' I decided to say no more."

R.J.: How did you feel when Michael Jackson made a statement on 60 Minutes that Neverland is just a house but is no longer a home?

Gloria: "I was devastated when I heard Michael say that because I knew Neverland was where he had spent the happiest 15 years of his life. It really broke my heart that he felt that way. His big dream was to build a paradise for children and that had been turned into an evil thing by the media. His dreams were completely crushed."

R.J.: There was a rumor going around that Mr. Jackson wanted to start all over on another ranch in an undisclosed location. Is any of that true to your knowledge?

Gloria: "At one time he thought of opening up a theme park in Albany, New York. I met him in New York and we went scouting up there. The area in general was not to his liking. Michael was a designer. He knew exactly what he wanted. Another location I showed him was a ranch in the Antelope Valley called Rancho Valyermo in Peach Blossom. The ranch was owned by Ruth Yardun and her sons. However, the ranch was very small and in the middle of the desert. It would not have worked for his animals."

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Gloria remembers Michael playing ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’ on the Boesendorfer grand piano in the living room of the main house and recollects it in her book ‘Michael Jackson: In Search Of Neverland’ released in March 2010.

Neverland was originally up for sale at $ 35 million but didn’t receive any interest. On Michael’s behalf, John Branca put forward a cheeky opening offer of $ 9 million for the Ranch. This went up to $ 17 million, which owner William Bones reluctantly accepted.

Cadman, Chris. Michael Jackson The Maestro The Definitive A-Z Volume II - K-Z: Michael Jackson The Maestro The Definitive A-Z Volume II - K-Z (Michael Jackson The Maestro The Definitive A-Z - A-J Book 1) (p. 320). Chris Cadman. Kindle Edition.