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Michael Jackson opens Neverland Ranch

Michael Jackson is to open his Neverland Ranch estate to 500 guests.

The invitation-only event, set for 13 September, is a one-time-only gathering, complete with dinner, magicians, games and a tractor-trailer full of stuffed animals, according to Jackson publicist Stuart Backerman.

Tickets for two people cost $5,000, with $1,000 from each sale being divided among three charities. The rest of the money will pay for the costs of the party, Backerman said.

Jackson's Neverland Ranch, located in Santa Barbara County, includes an amusement park with bumper cars, a merry-go-round and Ferris wheel.

Guests will also receive a goodie bag worth about $1,000 and an original painting by Brazilian artist Romero Britto.

Jackson's former financial advisers settled a lawsuit against him in June that suggested he was near bankruptcy. That has led to speculation that the Neverland property, recently valued at $12.3 million, would be placed on the market.

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