Neverland Valley Ranch Renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch

Neverland Valley Ranch Renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch is listed at $100,000,000 on a developed property in Santa Barbara County, California, located at 5225 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, California 93441, most famous for being the home of American entertainer Michael Jackson from 1988 to 2005. Jackson named the property after Neverland, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up. The ranch is located about five miles (8 km) north of unincorporated Los Olivos, and about eight miles (13 km) north of the town of Santa Ynez.

Today the ranch is owned by the Estate of Michael Jackson, with Colony Capital LLC maintaining a 12.5% undivided stake in the property.

The Chamberlin Ranch is to the west, and the rugged La Laguna Ranch, where the Zaca Fire began, is to the north. The Santa Barbara County Assessor's office says the ranch is approximately 3,000 acres (1214 hectares).

Jackson purchased the property from golf course entrepreneur William Bone in 1988 for a sum variously reported to be 16.5 to 30 million US dollars. It was Jackson's home as well as his private amusement park and it contained a floral clock, numerous statues of children, and a petting zoo. The amusement park included two railroads: one 3 ft(914 mm) narrow gauge named "Neverland Valley Railroad" with a steam locomotive named Katherine after his mother (Crown 4-4-0 (2B); built 1973 with two coaches), and the other a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge with a locomotive named C. P. Huntington made by Chance Rides. There was also a Ferris wheel, Carousel, Zipper, Octopus, Pirate Ship, Wave Swinger, Super Slide, roller coaster, bumper cars, and an amusement arcade. The master closet also contained a secret safe room for security. Michael Jackson was also an avid art collector.

Neverland Ranch was searched extensively by police officers in connection with the People v. Jackson trial after he was charged with multiple counts of molesting a minor in 2003. Jackson stated in that year that he would not return to the property, saying that he no longer considered the ranch a home, feeling the 70 police officers had "violated" it in their searches. In 2006, the facilities were closed and most of the staff was dismissed, with a spokesperson stating that this was the reflection of the fact that Jackson no longer lived there.

Following the death of Michael Jackson in 2009, the neglected Neverland Ranch fell into disrepair. Saddened by a return trip to her childhood home in 2010, Jackson's daughter, Paris, resolved to acquire and restore the property in early 2013. The amusement rides were replaced with a meditative zen garden, and a section decorated with Peter Pan, Michael Jackson's favorite fictional hero. The Jackson children intended the garden to be used for the enjoyment of sick children.

In May 2015, it was announced that the Neverland Ranch would be put up for sale with an initial price tag of $100 million, but many people including fans have protested and disagreed with the decision. Jermaine Jackson, elder brother of Michael wrote an open letter to Colony Capital expressing his disagreement with their decision and is currently in talks with them.