Here’s what happened to Michael Jackson’s infamous Neverland Ranch and who owns it today

Neverland Ranch is heavily featured in Netflix’s new documentary, Michael Jackson: The Verdict, so here’s what actually happened to it and who owns it today.

The three-part series revisits Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial. It actually opens with footage from the 2003 police raid on Neverland Ranch. As a result, many viewers have been left wondering what happened to Neverland Ranch after the accusations and who owns it today. So, here’s everything we know.

What was Neverland Ranch?

via Netflix

Neverland Ranch was Michael Jackson’s home for nearly two decades, but it was much more than just a house. The 2,700-acre property in Los Olivos, California, was bought by Jackson in 1988 and renamed after Neverland from Peter Pan, the fictional place where children never grow up. The exact address for the ranch is 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, California 93441.

Jackson transformed the estate into what was basically a private amusement park. The ranch featured a zoo with animals including elephants and tigers, a train station, amusement rides, gardens, a 50-seat cinema, guest houses and even its own railway. Hundreds of children were invited to visit the ranch over the years.

While Neverland was already well known because of Jackson’s fame, it became even more infamous after child molestation allegations were made against the then King of Pop.

In 2003, police raided the ranch as part of an investigation that later led to Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial. Jackson denied all allegations and was ultimately found not guilty on all charges.

The raid is one of the key events featured in Netflix’s Michael Jackson: The Verdict.

Did Michael Jackson ever return to Neverland?

via Netflix

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No. Jackson never lived at Neverland Ranch again after his 2005 acquittal. Speaking to a civil court jury in 2013, Jackson’s eldest son, Prince, said,  “I guess they ruined it for my dad.”

Instead, he spent time living elsewhere before eventually settling in Los Angeles during the final years of his life.

The ranch changed dramatically after Jackson’s death. As reported by The New York Times, Jackson transferred ownership of the property into a joint venture with investment company Colony Capital in 2008 after financial difficulties and a looming foreclosure.

Over time, many of the features that made Neverland famous disappeared. The amusement rides were removed, the animals were relocated, and the property was renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch. Millions of dollars were spent renovating the estate before it was repeatedly put up for sale, as per Forbes.

The Associated Press reported that the asking price also fell dramatically over the years. It was initially listed for around $100 million before dropping to $67 million and later $31 million.

Who owns Neverland Ranch today?

Today, Neverland Ranch is owned by billionaire investor and businessman Ronald “Ron” Burkle. He was previously a financial adviser to Jackson. According to the Wall Street Journal, Burkle bought the property in 2020 for around $22 million, which was a fraction of its original asking price.

The estate is still known officially as Sycamore Valley Ranch and remains private. It is not open to the public.

Michael Jackson: The Verdict is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.