L.A. Could Break Even on Jackson Memorial

Costs Surrounding King of Pop's Celebrity Sendoff Might Be Offset By Revenues Generated During Event

(AP)  Deficit-ridden Los Angeles may break even on the bill for the cost of police and other public servants on duty for Michael Jackson's memorial service, even though the city asked the singer's fans to help defray the costs, an economist said Tuesday.

A Web site was posted Tuesday seeking donations to cover the costs, estimated at between $1.5 million and $4 million, according to Matt Szabo, a spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The Web page reads: "Help the City of Angels provide the extraordinary public safety resources required to give Michael the safe, orderly and respectful memorial he deserves." The site is linked to a PayPal account where donors can make tax- deductible contributions.

But Jack Kyser, founding economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, estimates the city could rake in $4 million from the event, thanks to the throng of media and other visitors who stayed at hotels, ate at restaurants and shopped in Los Angeles.

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Complete coverage of Jackson's death

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Kyser believes the city also got a major image boost because the memorial service went off without any major problems.

"This thing went off very smoothly," Kyser said. "I think you had some good exposure for downtown and for the entire city."

Thousands of police officers and other city workers were enlisted to provide security and logistical support for Jackson's private service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills and the public memorial at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Some city officials have expressed concern about the cost, given the city's estimated $530 million deficit.

Similar complaints followed the announcement that the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers would hold a victory celebration at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last month. In the days before the event, much was made of its estimated $2 million cost, with critics grumbling that the city could not afford it.

The Lakers and AEG, which owns Staples Center, donated $1 million and private donors covered public costs. AEG, which also was the promoter for Jackson's now-canceled London shows, has not committed any money to cover the city's bill for the Jackson memorial.

Despite the police being out in full force - some 3,200 officers, according to the Los Angeles Times - large crowds never surfaced, apparently heeding city officials warning not to come downtown unless they had a ticket for the memorial service. Some people who worked downtown also stayed home, Kyser said.

Preliminary estimates on the crowd had ranged into the hundreds of thousands.

"This was an extraordinarily unique event," Szabo said. "The only thing certain about this event was uncertainty."

It wasn't the first time Angelenos took heed of such advice. Dire warnings of massive traffic jams led to just the opposite during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and a 1987 papal visit, which were marked by lighter-than-normal traffic.

The city may reap additional funds from the Jackson event, especially if he is buried in the Los Angeles area. Staples Inc. earned several years of value in its naming rights because of the exposure the Staples Center received, Kyser said.

"I think people now have a better idea of what is downtown Los Angeles," Kyser said.

[erasmus111]

"Deficit-ridden Los Angeles may break even on the bill for the cost of police and other public servants on duty for Michael Jackson's memorial service, even though the city asked the singer's fans to help defray the costs, an economist said Tuesday."


I think the celebrities should donate the money to help pay for it. I don't doubt that they all loved Michael Jackson, but a lot of them were there to be SEEN.

[whatsup49]

is it over yet? can i turn on my television again without seeing mj all over every freakin' news channel? Please, Please, Please, cover the real news now, and devote some special time to SnoBama's proposed cap and trade bill, and its true costs to american families, and let's remind him of his promise: no new taxes for people making less that $250 k a year. his cap and trade bill may tax utility entities and cost them huge amnts of $ to become more green, but who do you think will really pay for it? you and me, as much as $3k a year by some estimates.
As far as his health care proposal, SnoBama estimates that 47 million people are without coverage. According to some experts, that figure includes 10 million illegal aliens (why should we pay for their coverage?), approx. 10 million people who already qualify for medicare or medicaid and haven't signed up; and another large chunk is the under 35 crowd which doesn't want to spend money on health care coverage because it cuts into their expensive toys, ie. cars, ipods, iphones, blackberries, wii, playstations, partying etc. i shouldn't have to pay for them either.
why should i be taxed even more (i gross less than 20K a year)? proposals call for my employer-provided health care plan to be taxed by as much as 5%. i'd be better off getting myself declared disabled and getting my SSI check and my medicaid.

Wake up America!!! do some research. don't depend on our news media to give you all the answers, but they can be a place to start.

[gravyboat4000]

Wow, and all of this on a story about L.A. breaking even on the MJ Memorial.

lmao

Oh, one thing..."why should we pay for their coverage"? Illegals? Do they go to emergency rooms? Who do you think pays for that?

Again, lmao.

Good luck with the Medicaid...

[Forbus56]

Main Stream Media......"Never Can Say Goodbye."

[gravyboat4000]

Who are the non,"main stream media"?

What channel?

[michaelm07]

WHO CARES!

Please, CBS, NBC, ABC ad everyone else, enough already with this stuff. A talented man yes, but end it already and get back to news that has meaning. We don't care about the Paris Hiltons, the Jackson's, and the rest of the vapid celebrity culture. Please leave that to the Jerry Springer's of the world.

[gravyboat4000]

Who is,"we"?

Ya gotta mouse in ur pocket?

[sweetjd]

I agree totally!! 40 years ago all the news media reported 'new technology" as we launched Apollo 11 to land on the moon.and the first men walked on the moon...today the children of America are only hearing about the "moon walk and wacko jacko"...enough already!! He really didn't change America, he wasn't that great...his solo career and MTV launch made him a super star. Timing!!

It is time to quit making the news trivial and educate our country.