MONROE — It’s not exactly the late King of Pop’s throne, but it will do.
A ride that was part of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch about one year ago is being featured at the Evergreen State Fair’s Kiddieland this year.
Visitors can ride the Neverland Swings for free today, the fair’s opening day. The ride will cost four coupons, or $4, during the rest of the fair, which runs through Sept. 7.
The colorful ride consists of 16 chairs attached by chains to would-be lollipops. Each lollipop juts out from below a smiling clown face. When the ride spins, the seats swing out.
The appeal of the ride goes beyond that timid thrill, of course.
“(Jackson) obviously rode in the seats with his many guests,” said Jim Hall, an assistant manager with Butler Amusements. “No matter where you sit in there, you can bet you’re sitting in the same place he’s been.”
The company, based in Fairfield, Calif., bought the ride in fall 2008, months before Jackson’s July 25 death. At the time, the pop star’s well-publicized financial troubles were coming to a head.
Earl “Butch” Butler, the company’s owner, spent about $180,000 on the swings. Hall said the ride would have cost about $360,000 brand new. Butler also bought five other rides from Jackson, including his bumper cars.
Shortly after he sold them, Jackson tried to buy the rides back, Hall said. Apparently, Jackson offered double the original sale price for some of the rides.
The timeline makes sense. In March 2009, Jackson sold out 50 concerts in London in a few hours, helping him avoid a public auction of his estate.
“All of us thought, ‘Geez, jump on it, take the money,’” Hall said. “But Mr. Butler said, ‘No, I don’t want to sell them, I want to keep them.’ Smart move on his part.”
Indeed. The company now owns an oversized piece of history, the type of curiosity that could fit in the Smithsonian Institution’s collection, alongside Archie Bunker’s chair and Jerry Seinfeld’s puffy shirt.
Butler Amusement’s didn’t put the ride immediately into service. The Santa Barbara sun had faded the paint, so crews spent several weeks brightening the facade and conducting safety checks.
“I don’t care who owned it, it’s a used piece of equipment,” Hall said. “You have to make sure all your ducks are in a row.”
Now, visitors to the 101st Evergreen State Fair can take a ride that only a select few had experienced before this year.
“How many people do you think in this entire county have been to Neverland or rode one of Michael Jackson’s rides?” Hall asked. “I don’t think too many.”
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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