Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch finally sold for $22 million - a $78 million reduction from the original $100 million ask.
No longer the wicked real estate stepmother that has been on the market since 2015, Michael Jackson’s storied 2,700-acre Neverland Ranch has, at long last, sold for $22 million - a $78 million reduction from the original ask.
Michael designed Neverland as the childhood amusement park he wished he could have grown up in Gary, Indiana. One of ten children born to a steel-worker father who was also a part-time-musician, and a stay-at-home mother who had country singing aspirations, Neverland had everything to fascinate a child: carnival rides, an electric train ride, and a plethora of zoo animals. After his death in 2009, the ranch was stripped of every reminder of Jackson’s tenure there and renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch, its former name. It was put on the market in 2015 at an initial price of $100 million.
Located on the edge of a national forest, Jackson first saw the ranch in 1983 when he visited Paul McCartney, who was staying there while filming a video. In 1988, Jackson purchased the ranch from land-developer William Bone. Bone had bought Sycamore Valley Ranch in 1981, moved in with his family, and worked with architect Robert Altevers to design all of the buildings from ideas Bone was unable to use in his real estate business.
Today, the buildings consist of the 12,000-square-foot main house, a four-bedroom guest house, a two-bedroom guest house, several barns, animal shelter facilities and a maintenance shop. The main house, designed in French Normandy style, has large rooms including formal living and dining, multiple fireplaces, and a chef’s kitchen which can also be used for large functions. There are six bedrooms: a two-story master suite with a fireplace in the sitting room, two large baths and cedar walk-in closets. One of the closets contains a hidden safe room. Grounds include a free-form swimming pool, a large covered barbecue area, basketball court, tennis court, and a 50-seat movie theater with a private balcony and stage. The four-acre lake also has a fountain.
The ranch was purchased by billionaire-businessman Ron Burkle, who was a former associate of Jackson. Burkle built his fortune by buying and selling grocery store chains and is invested in U.K. and U.S. talent agencies. He has purchased several other unique homes, including Bob Hope’s spaceship-looking home in Palm Springs and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mayan-Revival Ennis House in Los Angeles. Burkle is also part owner of the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins. For more celebrity home news and celebrity home video tours, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
GIBSON LAUNCHES EPIC NEW GUITAR APP Whether you are a beginner looking to learn how to play the guitar or an expert needing guitar inspiration, most guitarists must “connect their own dots” across a wide array of tools, learning platforms, and connections to find their favorite songs and artists until now. In January, Gibson launched the epic new Gibson App with the perfect balance of innovation, information, and inspiration for guitarists at all levels. The Gibson app comes complete with a versatile guitar tuner, an innovative learning method, and an excellent selection of songs to jam along with to bring learning to another level. And it does not stop there. Gibson also connects the essentials with the new Gibson App by adding the award-winning Gibson TV channel, the impressive Virtual Guitar Tech service, and a direct connection to Gibson.com.
At the center of the new Gibson App is the game-changing, disruptive audio augmented reality (AR) technology. Developed in partnership with Zoundio, a music technology company based in Stockholm, Sweden, the Gibson App uses AR to interact with players for a two-way, engaging, interactive, and immersive guitar-learning experience that, until now, did not exist. The AR responds to and then directs the player, turning the guided step-by-step lessons guitar lessons into an easy, empowering, and fun experience. All you need to get started is the Gibson App, an acoustic or electric guitar, and your favorite pair of headphones.
The Gibson app covers electric and acoustic guitar players in multiple genres and styles, from beginner to pro guitarist. Players learn how to keep lessons short and set an effective guitar practice schedule to meet their goals. New features are added to the Gibson app every month.
“Our focus over the past few years has been all about our obsession with guitars, our connection with artists, and on re-building our iconic brands of Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer,” says James “JC” Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson Brands. “Now it’s time to bring guitar playing to life for the current and next generation of guitarists in a modern, comprehensive, and intuitive way.”
“There has never been a better time to learn how to play guitar or to improve your guitar skills with all of the amazing tools available, but it can still be confusing and a little intimidating,” says Cesar Gueikian of Gibson. “So, we set out to create the Gibson experience, centered around real insights, innovation, and simple intuition all delivered through one app, the new Gibson App. Early feedback has been inspiring, and we are excited to take this next step into even more guitar solutions from Gibson.”
“The Gibson App is one giant love letter to anyone wanting to learn guitar or improve their playing skills from anywhere,” says Daniel Katzenellenbogen, CEO of Zoundio. “The Gibson App allows anyone to pick up a guitar wherever they are and get an energized experience in their first lesson. We teach beginners without making them feel like beginners, which is a very powerful thing. Put your headphones on and get going!” $14.99 per month, check it out at the Apple app store or at Google Play.
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