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There have been a lot of crazy Michael Jackson rumors relating to Las Vegas. First there were the abundant reports that the King of Pop was going to be signed to a headliner residency at one of the resorts. Then there was the rumor that Jackson wanted a giant, 50-foot statue of himself to be erected out in the desert so that planes flying in could see it. And now that Jackson is set to make his comeback in London this summer, the newest story is that the performer is in talks to build his very own Las Vegas casino.
Of course, it would be smart to take anything you hear regarding Jackson with a grain of salt – not excluding, ahem, AEG Live’s assurances that he’ll be performing 50 concerts in the O2 Arena. However, given how much debt Jackson is trying to escape, it’s not altogether unfathomable to imagine that the performer is trying to make money in any way possible – even with a casino.
Reportedly, Jackson wants the casino to be themed around his hit song “Thriller.” The casino would feature sets from the song’s famed music video, employees dressed as zombies, and songs from his multi-platinum album playing in the background. The horror-branded casino – again, grain of salt here – would be slated to open in 2010.
Sources say that financier Tom Barrack, who bailed Jackson out of foreclosure last year, is looking for any means to milk the cash cow that is Jackson.
“You are talking about a guy who could make $500 million a year if he puts his mind to it,” Barrack told the Los Angeles Times. “There are very few individual artists who are multibillion-dollar businesses. And he is one."
In addition to London’s This Is It tour and the casino, Barrack and his crew are reportedly considering adding a new album, a Graceland-style museum, and a three-year world tour to the Jackson franchise.
Meanwhile, Jackson, who disappointed thousands of fans when the bulk of the This Is It tour’s 50 performances were moved to next year, has been making headlines left and right recently. Reporters have been questioning everything from the singer’s health – does he have skin cancer? Is he strong enough? – to whether or not he’ll even sing during the concerts. Hip-hop performer Akon is among those who have been most recently expressing their doubts about whether Jackson has what it takes to croon.
“Michael singing I’m not so sure about. He will perform but not sing,” the UK’s Daily Express quoted Akon, who worked with Jackson in the studio, as saying.
Las Vegas Weekly blogger Robin Leach claims all the rumors are false, including Akon’s statement, but we have just one thing to point out – if Britney Spears doesn’t sing a single note during her Circus tour, what’s to prevent the 50-year-old MJ from lip-syncing throughout his concerts too? We hate to say it, but the This Is It tour could turn out to be nothing more than very awesome karaoke.
So can Jackson make those $500 million? Will he build a Las Vegas casino? Right now, no one knows for sure. But part of the fascination is definitely in the mystery. If nothing else, it’ll be fun to imagine zombie cocktail waitresses and dealers in the meantime.
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