Exclusive: Plans For Michael Jackson Robot In Las Vegas Reve

[foreye]

I dont know if this Article has ben posted, but this is too damn cool



Last March, Michael Jackson announced plans for his "This Is It" residency  at the O2 arena in London. The 50-performance comeback bid would have been the King of Pop's foray back into the mainstream, and after he'd virtually disappeared from the music landscape for several years, the anticipation for his return to the stage was immense, with tickets for the first string of shows selling out almost instantaneously.

In reality, the singer had begun planning his return to the limelight much earlier, and with a characteristically Jacksonian flash that was both outrageous and improbable. In October 2005, only months after he was acquitted in his child-molestation case, Jackson had already begun work with fashion designer André Van Pier on costume and set designs for a Las Vegas residency. A longtime friend of Michael and the Jackson family, Van Pier had previously designed costumes for sisters Janet and La Toya. But that wasn't all ...

      
   Michael Jackson Hotel Concept Art    

In 2007, Van Pier, his partner Michael Luckman and artist Timothy Patterson garnered attention when New York's Daily News reported the team was working on a 50-foot Michael Jackson robot that would roam the Nevada desert. Visible to tourists landing at Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport, the monolith would be a walking advertisement for Jackson's show. "Michael's looked at the sketches and likes them," Luckman told the Daily News at the time.

But, as with many of Jackson's more over-the-top ideas, neither the show nor the robot ever came to fruition. (A rep for the Jackson family had not responded to MTV News' request for comment at press time.)

Living in Nevada during this time, Jackson reportedly entered talks with a number of Las Vegas investors, including casino owner and longtime friend Steve Wynn, but "Michael just couldn't raise enough money," Luckman said. Colony Capital, the Las Vegas equity firm that purchased much of Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch debt, also was reported to have considered recurring a Las Vegas show as an option for repayment. However, investors were reportedly reluctant to enter such a deal with Jackson in the wake of the trial.

Based on the increasingly extravagant promotional designs for the robot from the Van Pier design firm, the announcement of the project was intended in part to attract financiers as an early attempt to rehabilitate Jackson's public image, as well as satisfy his lifelong fascination with magical, childlike ventures.

It's unclear whether the robot would have — or could have — ever been built, although "Michael really liked the initial designs and wanted to use them somehow," Luckman explained. With Jackson living in Nevada, Van Pier worked with artist Patterson to repurpose his original robot concept into the design of a Michael Jackson hotel and casino that incorporated a "Transformers"-like Michael Jackson robot at its entrance.

"The idea came up as a proposal to build a giant robotic hotel," Patterson explained. "The face would move, shooting laser-beam-looking lights. The whole building would be covered with spotlights." Though André Van Pier passed away in August of 2008, Luckman and Patterson continued to develop the hotel/ casino concept after his death.

While Jackson's plans for a Las Vegas show came to a halt when he prepared for the "This Is It" concerts earlier this year, he remained interested in settling down in Las Vegas after the conclusion of his London engagement in 2010. In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, Jackson realtor Zar Zanganeh spoke of a $16.5 million home in the same neighborhood as Wayne Newton and casino owner Phil Ruffin that Jackson intended to purchase.

"For some time, he was looking for additional lease properties — he wasn't sure if he was going to be staying in Vegas long-term — and when things looked like they were shaping up, we started looking at homes for him to purchase," Zanganeh told the Sun.

Just as Jackson remained hopeful about returning to Vegas, Luckman and Patterson also hoped the pop star would come back to the desert, where they were confident that he might one day be able to use the monolithic robot design Van Pier had come up with.

"We were supposed to meet with him in London this November," Patterson explained. "But then André died," and, on June 25, Jackson himself died. The London meeting would have been Jackson's first viewing of the re-imagined robot/hotel concept.

The duo can't say how interested Jackson might have been in becoming a Las Vegas casino owner after his return from London, and there are currently no known plans to build either the robot or the casino.

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[voiceforthesilent]

Thank you for sharing this story. This is really interesting. It shows Michael's imagination and creativity. He is so innovative. What a genius of a mind he has.

I am not a huge fan of Las Vegas as I am not a gambler. However, I would have made sure to visit there and stay at the Michael Jackson hotel that was in the design of a transformer. That would be really cool. What an excellent marketing tool as well.

Also, I can't help but think of light man. I wonder if this is where the concept came about? It's really unfortunate that this may never come to fruition.  It's my hope that Michael is alive and that he is able to see some of his dreams come true.

One last thing - it still baffles me how he could have so many projects going at once, remember them all, be involved in the design of them, and be on drugs? Nope - still not possible in my mind.

[Sangre]

Thank you for sharing this story. This is really interesting. It shows Michael's imagination and creativity. He is so innovative. What a genius of a mind he has.

I am not a huge fan of Las Vegas as I am not a gambler. However, I would have made sure to visit there and stay at the Michael Jackson hotel that was in the design of a transformer. That would be really cool. What an excellent marketing tool as well.

Also, I can't help but think of light man. I wonder if this is where the concept came about? It's really unfortunate that this may never come to fruition.  It's my hope that Michael is alive and that he is able to see some of his dreams come true.

One last thing - it still baffles me how he could have so many projects going at once, remember them all, be involved in the design of them, and be on drugs? Nope - still not possible in my mind.

Sadly all human beings have weaknesses - starting a lot of projects and never finishing them was one of Michael's.

[2good2btrue]

I believe he is channeling when he gets all these ideas....so God gives him thoughts first, and then he tries to materialize them.: sometimes there is not enough time or energy to fulfill all of them...xox

[wishingstar]

Great article...thanks for posting.
I think there are obvious parallels between this robot and light-man.  The other thing that stuck out is the sentence about Colony Capital purchasing much of his Neverland debt.  What exactly does that mean?  They didn't purchase Neverland, they only purchased part of the debt.  On Colony Capital's web-site they actually list a property in the San Ynez valley......1224 LLC......it's Neverland.  

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I did a search on 1224LLC and found an article from TMZ about the new owners of Neverland

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that article has a document with it....doesn't mention Colony.  

So, where does that leave us?  I am trying to figure, from what the original Las Vegas article said about Colony only purchasing part of the debt.  Put this together with the new post here "Michael Still Owns Neverland" under Michael's Business- with E'Cas and Michael's belongings for auction.
Was the debt paid to Colony....enough to keep belongings...enough for Michael to keep Neverland?  

Food for thought anyways......hey, I got through a whole post and not a gematria match in sight  :lol:

Blessings!

PS>>>>>>.the link is not working for the TMZ article!!!  I previewed this and now it won't come up... maybe you can search TMZ for it?  Errrrrrrrr........

[michaelsupporter]

Michael is the epitome of creative genius!  As a result of this creative fire he has always had lots of projects in the works.......but in the real world it takes teams of people and investors for projects to take flight.  I had read somewhere about the MJ hotel/casino concept and frankly believe that Vegas can and will still pull this off (the image, mind you, is awesome!). I personally feel that LV could use some revitalization! Infusing the city with Michael spirit would enhance the topography and be a draw, for certain.I am not a big gambler either but LV is so much more than gambling, so much more! I am certain that MJ would have had that angle covered in his concept as well and catered his business plan to gamblers and non-gamblers alike.  Frankly, I can envision  something like this still happening at some point. Perhaps, Michael Jackson's Cirque du Soleil can take residency there as well!  I, for one, would make the trip!

[Keiko]

I remember reading about this a few years ago.

Um...Michael...I love you, and I'm cool with the hotel/casino idea...but as a Las Vegas resident, the thought of a 50 foot tall robot thing walking around the outskirts of town scares the crap out of me.   :shock:  Can we scrap that idea?  :lol:

[wishingstar]

I remember reading about this a few years ago.

Um...Michael...I love you, and I'm cool with the hotel/casino idea...but as a Las Vegas resident, the thought of a 50 foot tall robot thing walking around the outskirts of town scares the crap out of me.   :shock:  Can we scrap that idea?  :lol:

You are hilarious!   :lol:
Remember the old movie Attack of the 50' Woman?
A 50' Michael would take her on in a heartbeat!  :lol:
Too funny.......

[suspicious mind]

Thank you for sharing this story. This is really interesting. It shows Michael's imagination and creativity. He is so innovative. What a genius of a mind he has.

I am not a huge fan of Las Vegas as I am not a gambler. However, I would have made sure to visit there and stay at the Michael Jackson hotel that was in the design of a transformer. That would be really cool. What an excellent marketing tool as well.

Also, I can't help but think of light man. I wonder if this is where the concept came about? It's really unfortunate that this may never come to fruition.  It's my hope that Michael is alive and that he is able to see some of his dreams come true.

One last thing - it still baffles me how he could have so many projects going at once, remember them all, be involved in the design of them, and be on drugs? Nope - still not possible in my mind.

Sadly all human beings have weaknesses - starting a lot of projects and never finishing them was one of Michael's.

according to my husband i have the same problem :lol:

[MJonmind]

I remember reading about this a few years ago.

Um...Michael...I love you, and I'm cool with the hotel/casino idea...but as a Las Vegas resident, the thought of a 50 foot tall robot thing walking around the outskirts of town scares the crap out of me.   :shock:  Can we scrap that idea?  :lol:

:lol:  :lol: When I read about the robot I was thinking about the movie "Honey, I blew up the kid", where this 50' kid roams the desert around Las Vegas. Maybe MJ was thinking about that too, and then combined it in his mind with the transformer in his movie Moonwalker.

Maybe MJ saying to us, "The best is yet to come" is some way he plans to bring all his so-called unfinished projects to fruition in a spectacular heart-stopping Event!!  :shock:  

[Sangre]

Thank you for sharing this story. This is really interesting. It shows Michael's imagination and creativity. He is so innovative. What a genius of a mind he has.

I am not a huge fan of Las Vegas as I am not a gambler. However, I would have made sure to visit there and stay at the Michael Jackson hotel that was in the design of a transformer. That would be really cool. What an excellent marketing tool as well.

Also, I can't help but think of light man. I wonder if this is where the concept came about? It's really unfortunate that this may never come to fruition.  It's my hope that Michael is alive and that he is able to see some of his dreams come true.

One last thing - it still baffles me how he could have so many projects going at once, remember them all, be involved in the design of them, and be on drugs? Nope - still not possible in my mind.

Sadly all human beings have weaknesses - starting a lot of projects and never finishing them was one of Michael's.

according to my husband i have the same problem :lol:

It's my problem too.  :lol: I paint in my free time and I never finish the pieces I start!  :x