14 DAY TRIAL // Although the cost for Michael Jackson’s memorial public service, held on Tuesday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, was considerably smaller than initially estimated ($1.4 million, as opposed to $4 million), concerned parties are already fighting over who should pay for the ceremony. As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is urging fans to continue with their donations to cover some of the expenses, councilmen and organizers AEG are waging a bitter war in the media over the issue, several media outlets inform.
Councilman Dennis Zine, for instance, believes taxpayers are being ripped off – and have been so ever since AEG Live first announced an intention to hold the public memorial. Zine says AEG made at least $50,000 from media deals, and stands to make even more in the future by yet unspecified means. Moreover, since the Jackson family could afford to pay for the golden, custom-made $25,000 casket, they could very well chip in on the expenses of the memorial, he also believes. At the same time, since fans are being told to continue donating, it seems Zine thinks they should contribute as well, several media outlets are pointing out.
“Zine – a former member of the LAPD – argued that the millions who watched the Jackson tribute on television had raised money for AEG who own The Staples Center. He said: ‘If the Jackson family is going to spend $25,000 on a gold casket, I would think that AEG and the family could help defray the costs so it’s safe and secure environment for mourners’.” Radar Online reveals. The councilman reiterated this statement during a recent radio interview but, this time, AEG broke the silence to fight back.
“AEG President Tim Leiweke immediately swung back, saying Zine was out of line because the company helped secure funds for the L.A. Lakers championship parade last month.” TMZ writes of AEG’s response. As fans must know, while AEG Live, the same promoters who were also in charge of Michael’s fabulous comeback to the music stage with the London series of concerts “This Is It,” was quick to announce an intention of doing the memorial, the topic of who would eventually foot the bill never came up.
As we were also telling you yesterday, the $1.4 million that taxpayers coughed up for the memorial through the City of LA went on hiring extra security for the event, using extra police officers (including SWAT teams to escort the convoy), and sealing off several locations, including a 12-block area around Staples Center and the areas where the convoy with Michael’s body passed en route to the memorial.