Despite Being Broke, California Parks Dept Wants To Buy Neverland Ranch For $100 Million

Gus Lubin and Isabelle Schafer
California state parks and the NAACP have a terrible idea: spend $100 million to buy Michael Jackson's famous Neverland ranch, according to SacBee:

A resolution is in the works to order state parks officials to study converting the roughly 2,600-acre property into a state park. The state NAACP is backing the idea, and a lawmaker has signaled he is on board to carry the legislation.

"I think Michael's history is world history and I think it would become the No. 1 attraction for the state parks if we could pull it off," said state NAACP President Alice Huffman, who also serves on the state Parks Commission.

If California wasn't in such dire fiscal straits this could be a reasonable proposal. Elvis's home in Tennessee -- Graceland -- generates $36 million in revenue each year, according to SacBee. A Michael Jackson theme park would be a huge attraction.

But California doesn't have the capital to make this happen, having been forced to sell major state properties and fire thousands just to keep the lights on.