Heavy construction equipment and workers passed through the wrought-iron gates of Neverland Ranch, fueling speculation that it could soon be hosting a funeral or a permanent memorial to Michael Jackson. The activity occurred Tuesday, the day before Jackson's will was expected to be filed in court.
Santa Barbara County officials said there were no final decisions by the Jackson family for any funeral or memorial service in the county or at Neverland.
All the same, more than a dozen vehicles, including a tractor, a cement mixer and a backhoe, along with groups of gardeners and florists bearing huge wreaths, were spotted on the property about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
At once a symbol of Jackson's success and excesses, Neverland _ the 2,500-acre property nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara County's wine country _ became the site of a makeshift memorial after his death Thursday.
Members of Jackson's family met Tuesday with officials from the Los Angeles police and California Highway Patrol about funeral services, but "details are still pending," according to Fran Clader, a spokeswoman for the patrol. The patrol would need to be consulted if the body was moved from Los Angeles to Neverland.
Fearing the narrow, two-lane Figueroa Mountain Road that runs past Neverland will be overwhelmed by media and fans, county officials said Wednesday that they'll start enforcing parking restrictions.
