Michael Jackson's Memorial Cost LA $1.4 Million

LOS ANGELES — A city council member on Thursday called on AEG Live to pay some of the estimated $1.4 million cost for policing Michael Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center.

Dennis Zine told Fox 11 that the city's taxpayers "are getting ripped off" because the owner-operator of the Staples Center profited by charging media up to $50,000 to use risers outside the venue.

AEG President Tim Leiweke had said Zine was out of line for asking AEG to pay for policing because it helped solicit donors for the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA victory parade last month.

Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live, said that it paid for the memorial itself along with the Jackson estate, but did not mention the cost of crowd control.

The parade and memorial both resulted in extraordinary costs to Los Angeles at a time when it is in debt for half of a billion dollars and facing employee layoffs.

The cost of city services for the Lakers' parade was about $1 million. Donors covered about $850,000 of that sum. The Lakers and AEG spent another $1 million to produce the parade and rally at Memorial Coliseum.

Comments

[BlueZoo]

LA leaped to host this MJ memorial! Doesn't anyone in CA know how to say "NO?" If they couldn't get the money needed up front, they shouldn't have done the memorial. Californians have long had this inability to deny their citizens anything and now they are in dire economic shape, laying off workers, issuing IOUs to contractors of the State, etc. You have to pay the piper if you want to dance! I wouldn't send them a dime!

[mollymac]

Feel the same,

[Deli]

The TV talking heads were throwing around $4M to inflame people. I knew it was way over blown. This is not that big of a number when you consider what government waists daily on so many useless things. Sorry, LA., this superstar happened to live in your city. I think fans donating $17,000 is so touching. Then of course, technical problems. No one likes to try a broken Web site twice.

[offred]

I'm sure some local businesses made money from the thousands of people who needed drinks, food, fuel, taxis, the metro bus system, and other conveniences a large crowd needs on a hot day.

[Archivist1000]

If LA didn't want 'extra costs' for large events .... then they shouldn't have the STAPLES center available .... why did they build it? To hold tupperware parties? They built it to HOLD LARGE EVENTS such as this .... why? Because large events bring in money!

[smile13]

The State of California has made MILLIONS of the Jackson family. Plus all the MILLIONS Michael paid out in charities. And ALL the money LA will make off of his death...and the MEDIA is making MILLIONS off his death. Shame on all of you! I am glad EMACK2020 brought up Rupert Murdoch. How much are all his publications making off this? And all the money he has made in the past off of Michael Jackson headlines?? I am a white women and I believe that Fox News and their gang are a bunch of RACIEST!!! If this was a black man who threw or hit a ball for a living, it would be a different story. Just don't let him be one of the greatest entertainers/humanitarians that ever lived or the leader of the free world. I am just venting here. I have learned over the last couple days there is a white American and a black America. And I have always believed the white man has felt inferior to the black man and that is why they do what they do. Instead of Fox New trashing MJ everyday, why don't they look into their souls, their hearts and examine why 1 billion people took time out of their lives to care for Michael Jackson. It was his HEART which has only ONE color....the color of God. Thanks for your time and PLEASE let Michael RIP! xo :)

[Crumbysmom]

I wondered how much of tax payers money was wasted bringing trumped up molestation charges against Michael Jackson so that some individuals could try and make a name for themselves and be on CNN. How much money was wasted in court costs, police officer hours and take out lunches (since they love wasting money on that) when they know they didn't have any thing even looking like proof against MJ. How much money was wasted on that?

If you ask me they owe Michael a lot more then $1.4.

[Archivist1000]

LA has to accept that the large amounts of money they take in just BECAUSE it's LA ... also mean they will have large expenses ....

They could have refused to 'host' the Memorial, no?

[Skeptiqone]

I ask this honestly...no sniping here. Couldn't Janet just write a check?

[Phoebe917]

or how about all of those self-serving entertainers who got a lot of free exposure just writing even a small check. you are not going to tell me that there will not be a boost in *their* sales. and just to clarify, i am a fan of michael jackson. LA is broke as is all of Cal., that is the sad fact. desperate times call for desperate measures. the Lakers should have kicked in too. no lack of funds there.

[Archivist1000]

She might .... it would be a nice gesture on the part of the family ... but I don't see it as an obligation.

If she does, I hope we hear about it as much as we hear about this!

[Spikepine]

Archivist1000, I hope so too. Also, what is the big deal, I don't recall LA asking anyone else to pay for police protection. LA made millions from the fans and visitors let them use that money to pay for the memorial and police lunches..

[mollymac]

She drives a Bentley for crying out loud. They had Bentley's, Rolls and other fabulous cars in their cortege. How do they justify that expense? It is so annoying. And why are so many of you apologizing to the "we owe the Jackson's" posters? I owe zip to them - I loved MJ and thought he was marvelously talented. However, idol worship is inane.

[ObamAtomic]

OMG ,envy you?
She drive a Bentley because she EARNED,You can drive one too!
You do not love MJ ,you are a hater,pitiful, You!

[Dewtrell]

And the parade of Bentley's and Range Rovers were donated by Land Rover of Encino which is right down the street from the Jackson compound on Venture Blvd.

[ObamAtomic]

No and why?

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

I thought the Fox News said it would cost at least 4-5 million.

[Archivist1000]

FIgures you would be a FOX viewer!

[wellinformed08]

It's FAUX news....when are we gonna learn?

[cordyc]

When an ordinary citizen passes if the family wants a police escort for the motorcade then the family has to pay. I know when I buried my folks we had to pay for the cop. So why shouldn't the Jackson's also do like the rest of us?

I'm also mad that Pelosi has stopped the resolution in Congress for MJ. Just sent an email. I want all his good work acknowledged and the naysayers in Congress exposed for what they are. Let's not let the evil empire of Murdoch win with the pack of lies they told about MJ.

[Spikepine]

MJ's family should not pay for the police. I am sure they did not ask for that number of police to be on patrol. The city itself estimated the number of police it would need and they were wrong. The Jacksons did not invite the crowds; the memorial at Forrest Lawn was small, with only invited guests. The rest of the fans at the Staple Center were guests of the city, the Jacksons did not distribute any tickets.

[AudiGuy]

True, however when any on of some status, who may draw a large number of people the city and state provides security as a matter of public safety. These people are never charged. Like I said previously, MJ or the Jackson did not cause the budget problem in CA. And they have paid far more than $1.4 million in taxes. The bill is paid.

[emack2020]

First of all, I live 4 miles from Staples. This was an amazing economic boon for Los Angeles, not to mention amazing city exposure all over the world. Financially, thousands of people flew to LA, rented cars, stayed in hotels, bought food and paid taxes far exceeding the police costs. Tourism in LA is sure to rise not to mention the invaluable publicity for the Staples/Convention center area which is newly renovated (some projects are not yet complete). In addition, what choice did police have? Let chaos ensue? We have a long history of chaos in Los Angeles and I say MONEY WELL SPENT.

[Crumbysmom]

I agree. They are just putting this out there to make people who already dislike the Jacksons even angrier. When you do the numbers and look at the facts LA didn't lose anything but gained. But who wants to actually look at the truth. .

[Phoebe917]

i didn't even *think* of it like that. thanks. although i do believe AEG Live should pony up a few bucks as they were the organizers and promoters.

[Spikepine]

emack2020, I totally agree. MJ is dead and gone and people are still trying to make the Jackson family look bad. LA already needed money; they got a lot of it this week from fans.

[MsIrisMG]

Well written!

[RedStateCenterLeft]

I don't mean to be ugly here, but when my mother died, the funeral home's bill included the bill from local law enforcement to pay for the police escort and blocking of crosstown traffic as we moved from the church 30 miles to the country cemetery where we placed Mom at her final resting place.

The whole bill ran several thousand dollars, but the itemized tab showed the funeral home was billed by the cops to the tune of $800. Not much in Michael Jackson terms, but a lot for us.

That's what so annoying for me. The Jacksons need to pay the tab, just like we did, for the police presence to handle the burial of a loved one. Once again, this is that old saying of only the little people pay.

For this, I'll never fork over a dime for anything related to the Jackson family. You can buy Michael's music, but not me.

Sorry.

[wellinformed08]

The Jacksons took care of their private funeral arrangements. They PAID for that. The public outcry for a public memorial was met by AEG and AEG should be responsible for that. The city (where damn near all the celebrities in the world have a house) was broke before Michael died. The media is trying to make it look like their deficit is now Jackson's fault. Nobody is talking about the revenue the city made BECAUSE of the event.

The man had no peace on Earth so I hope he has found peace in his afterlife.

I don't blame his family, I wouldn't pay either.

[mollymac]

Of course you would; normally families are responsible for all funereal costs. This is so ridiculous.

[mollymac]

Don't be sorry and don't feel you need to make excuses for the people here who are clueless. All of us normies have to pay for family funeral expenses. I find it rather pathetic that the Jackson's don't step up and pay. They can afford it. Sorry for their loss but all of us have losses. I just lost my mom and we paid through the nose!

[Archivist1000]

mollymac .. FOCUS here honey ... it's a simple sentence:

THE CITY OF L.A. did NOT pay for the funeral .. got it????

With all due respect, I doubt BILLIONS of people needed to 'say goodbye' to your Mom.

[ObamAtomic]

The Jackson not need to paid a dime,the police,the city interjecting themselves as
money venture,they miscalculated ,their loss.
We do not feel a thing,if you buy,listen or admire Michael,
we do not care about haters like you!

[cuniverse]

I t just behooves me how intelligent, uninformed most Americans appears to be, or is in innate in their culture not to be able to assertion when they are being plaid by self interest groups?
The Michael Jackson Death and Memorial in LA is another indicator of that.
Question: why do cities contend for Conventions to be held in their cities?
Question: Why do cities vie strongly for advents that would draw huge crowds from around the world to their doors? .
Why do some towns put on week long parades?
DOES ANY ONE OUT THERE HAVE ANY IDE THE TAX BOOST TO THE GOVERNMENT REVINUE OVER THE JACKSON DEATH EVENTS?
It should not be difficult look at your year to date time periods, for cost and revenue
My deductions are as follows, the self interest groups have taken the time to work out the cost of the event to the tax payer , but not the revenue to the tax pool for the event.
That then begs to ask the follow up question: Why and what is their underling motive for raising the topic and skewing it to the mindless?
Way to go America , just keep showing the world how smart you really are

[cordyc]

Tax boost? Have been watching our local news interview the folks at Neverland. Most are local and the tourists were in Socal anyways. Will folks come to Neverland now. Yes and the good folk in Solvang will welcome them as tourism has been slow due to the economy. The local Chumash casino will also benefit as will Disneyland.

But that's not the point, when anyone else passes the family has to pay for the security for the funeral procession. Why should the Jackson be exempt? Let just treat them like everyone else, anything else is wrong IMHO.

[Dewtrell]

In L.A. the funeral procession is provided free of cost to the family.

[Archivist1000]

How do you know the Jackson family did NOT pay for the security for the funeral procession ????

Your opinion means NOTHING since you are basing it on facts that you are clueless about!

[harriettubman]

That's when they're at least running in the black. CA is gushing in the RED. When a city starts laying off police officers, it's crucial. When there's no cops to get to a 911 call, they need to call one of MJ's fans who believe money grows on trees.

[respected]

If all fans put one dollar in an envelope and mailed it to the LAPD, then the debt would be settled in no time. I am putting mine in the envelope now.

[MsIrisMG]

Just go to City of Los Angeles website and do it by paypal. No need to waste a stamp.

[justwaitandsee]

What happen to the $4 Million Price Tag the news media kept claiming; Oh I guest 1.4 million isn't a bigger story and and the fact that 17,000 was raised online is even a smaller story.

[Indy 44]

Just garnish about a half day's worth of MJ sales at the iTune music store. That should cover it.

Or as Smile 13 commented below (great idea), sell DVDs of the event. They'd make millions to recoup the cost. Then, once the cost is covered, give the rest to charity. That's the humanitarian thing to do.

[MyrtleJune]

That's ridiculous. WHY should this family have to pay for services that are provided to others families and for other city events as part of the JOB the taxpayers of LA already fork it over for. To say nothing of the tax revenue collected from the great attendees and mourners who surely had to eat some where and sleep somehwere and buy gas somewhere in LA!!!

Their premise, and yours, is just ridiculous.