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Post by Graveyardbride on May 22, 2024 10:22:10 GMT -5
Judge Halts Graceland AuctionThis morning (May 22), Chancellor JoeDae L. Jenkins of the Shelby County Chancery Court halted the proposed auctioning of Graceland scheduled to take place tomorrow (May 23). The judge said Graceland was unique to the state, and there must be sufficient time for adequate discovery and for the estate’s representatives to reply to Naussany Investment’s alleged claims. “The public interest is best served, particularly here in Shelby County, for Graceland is a part of this community, well-loved by this community and, indeed, around the world,” he added.
In addition to alleging Naussany isn’t a “real company” in her lawsuit, Riley Keough accused the company of making a false claim based on forged documents.
Priscilla Presley also blasted the notice of foreclosure on X, writing, “It’s a scam.”
Elvis purchased the property in 1957 for $102,500 and lived at Graceland until his death on August 16, 1977.
Lisa Marie inherited Graceland after her father’s death, and it was opened to the public as a museum in 1982. In 1991, the property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2006, it was designated a National Historic landmark.
In addition to the mansion, the grave sites of Elvis and several family members are located in the Meditation Garden, and the Convair 880 Jet, Lisa Marie, also is located on the grounds. In 2016, a new resort hotel on the property began registering guests, and in 2018, the Chapel in the Woods became available for weddings.
Approximately 600,000 visitors flock to Graceland each year, and the overall impact to the City of Memphis is estimated at $150 million. “Visitors flock to Graceland to feel connected to an icon whose life still remains shrouded in mystery,” Priscilla said in an Architectural Digest interview. Sources: Michael Dragan, Fox News, May 22, 2024, and Chancery Court of Shelby County, Tennessee.
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Post by kitty on May 22, 2024 17:35:25 GMT -5
If Graceland was sold, what would happen to the grave sites?
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Post by Graveyardbride on May 22, 2024 20:09:53 GMT -5
If Graceland was sold, what would happen to the grave sites? In Tennessee, burial sites, such as family graveyards, are not the subject of trade and commerce. Accordingly, if another entity purchased Graceland, the graves of Elvis and his family members would not be included in the sale and the new owner would have to grant access to the Meditation Garden.
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Post by catherine on May 23, 2024 21:22:59 GMT -5
I can't help wondering if this is some kind of publicity stunt. If these people created a fake company to try to take property, why choose what's probably the most famous house in the US -- with the exception of the White House? Also, if Lisa Marie was supposed to have paid back the loan by May 2022, why wait until after she was dead to try to collect the debt?
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Post by Graveyardbride on Aug 16, 2024 0:05:46 GMT -5
‘Presley for a Day Tour’ at GracelandIf you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Elvis fan wanting to get as close to “The King” as possible, here’s your chance to be a “Presley for a Day”? Yes, you and three of your closest friends or relatives now have the opportunity to spend seven hours as a Graceland insider. But before you set your heart on the idea, be warned, this day doesn't come cheap. The price tag for the Presley for a Day Tour is a staggering $6,000 for a group of no more than four people.
Nonetheless, it takes a lot of money to keep Graceland open and a large portion of the $6,000 will support the 13.8-acre estate’s ongoing commitment to beautification, preservation and enhancement of the home and grounds. Another portion will go to go to support local Memphis charities through the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation.
Launching September 6, the new Presley for a Day Tour will be limited to eight guests per day and provide access to some of the Presley family’s favorite spots on the grounds for the first time since the historic home opened to the public in 1982.
Guests will have access the family’s favorite activities with golf cart rides through the grounds and a “high-end dinner” at the newly renovated Moriah’s House, which offers stunning views of Graceland’s landscape from the back pasture. (Moriah’s House was named for Lisa Marie’s pony, which was once stabled there.)
The Presley for a Day Tour includes:
Personalized Concierge Service: Concierge will work with guests to plan their experience prior to arrival.
Personal Tour Guide: Guests will have their own personal tour guide throughout the entire experience.
Guided Tours: Tours of the Memphis entertainment complex and the King’s airplanes with their dedicated guide, plus exclusive photo opportunities and special “white glove artifact experiences.”
Golf Cart Transportation: Guests will be chauffeured around Graceland on a golf cart by their guide and treated to an outdoor tour of the mansion’s grounds.
Graceland Stable Tour & Horse Experience: Tour of the Graceland Stables before a guided walk on horseback through Graceland’s front pasture and photo op with a horse with the Graceland Mansion as a backdrop.
Graceland Archives Experience: Guests will get a glimpse of the archival work that goes on behind-the-scenes at Graceland – from conservation work on one of Elvis’s sequined jumpsuits to cataloging one of the more than 90,000 photographs.
Moriah’s House: Guests will have access to this newly restored space, located in the Graceland pasture, to relax and have dinner, while enjoying views of the Graceland Mansion and surroundings. Dinner choices range from Southern barbecue favorites to gourmet delights, and will be tailored to guest preferences.
After-hours Graceland Mansion Tour: After their meal, guests enjoy a guided after-hours tour of Graceland with exclusive photo ops and white glove experiences.
Exclusive Swag Bag: Each guest will receive a bag of items (valued at in excess of $450), created exclusively for Presley for a Day Tour guests.
For an additional fee, fans can stay overnight at Graceland’s resort hotel, The Guest House at Graceland, and enjoy such King favorites as banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. A specialty suite package offers personalized service, including breakfast-in-room service any time of day, charcuterie and champagne upon arrival, turndown service, plus a private midnight movie screening in the Guest House Theater (Elvis starred in 33 movies – 31 in which he acted, from Love me Tender in 1956 to Change of Habit in 1969, followed by two concert documentaries.)
Presley for a Day Tours can be booked now for dates beginning September 6 through January 2025. Additional information available here.
The Presley for a Day Tour is just the first of many events, tours and expansions that will be announced during the next three years as Graceland prepares for the 50th anniversary of the King’s death on August 16, 2027. The legendary star was just 42 when he died suddenly and had been famous for half his life. News of his untimely death, in an era before the Internet and social media, nonetheless spread like wildfire and sent shockwaves throughout the country and, indeed, the world. Elvis had been a superstar for 21 years, with tremendous highs, a few lows, triumphant comebacks and a tragic end that is still difficult to understand or accept.
The culmination of Graceland’s “On the Road to 50” event will be Elvis Week 2027, when Graceland hosts the largest gathering of Elvis fans from around the globe.
Graceland is open daily for tours and offers a variety of tour options. Additional information can be found at Graceland.com. Sources: Paul Grien, Billboard, August 15, 2024, and Graceland.com.
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Post by jason on Aug 16, 2024 9:08:32 GMT -5
This has to be the most ridiculous money-making scheme of all time. Surely no one would pay $6,000 to ride around all day on a golf cart. For that price, they should at least be able to go upstairs and see where he died.
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Post by Kate on Aug 16, 2024 11:39:28 GMT -5
This has to be the most ridiculous money-making scheme of all time. Surely no one would pay $6,000 to ride around all day on a golf cart. For that price, they should at least be able to go upstairs and see where he died. It does seem like a lot for what's being offered.
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Post by kitty on Aug 16, 2024 14:18:49 GMT -5
It does seem like a lot for what's being offered. I'm an Elvis fan but I wouldn't pay $6,000 for what they're offering.
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Post by Graveyardbride on Sept 15, 2024 0:20:05 GMT -5
Missouri Woman Charged and Arrested in Graceland Foreclosure ScamFederal authorities have charged Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, with attempting to swindle the Presley family. She filed forged documents claiming Lisa Marie Presley (who died in January 2023) borrowed $3.8 million from a firm called Naussany Investments and Private Lending, LLC, using Graceland as collateral.
In response, Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s daughter, filed a 60-page Verified Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief Including a Temporary Restraining Order filed in the Chancery Court of Shelby County, Tennessee, claiming, among other allegations, that Naussany Investments did not exist.
In May 2024, a judge in Shelby County, Tennessee, refused to accept Findley’s foreclosure action.
Following an investigation into the matter, Findley was arrested August 16, 2024, the 47th anniversary of Elvis’s death. The arrest affidavit read: “Using a series of aliases, email addresses, and fake documents, Findley engaged in a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family for millions of dollars by threatening to foreclose on the ‘Graceland’ estate owned by Mr. Presley’s family and auction Graceland to the highest bidder as part of a fraudulent non-judicial sale she scheduled for May 23, 2024.”
During her attempt to foreclose on Graceland, Findley pretended to be six different individuals associated with Naussany Investments, using the aliases Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins and Carolyn Williams.
As authorities closed in, Findley sent an email to NBC News under the name Gregory Naussany, claiming to be part of a Nigerian ring of identity thieves.
Findley, who has a criminal history of forged checks, bank fraud and romance scams, has been charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. She has entered pleas of not guilty to both charges.
“This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz. “Of course, all homeowners deserve to have their property protected from fraud, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits financial crimes or identity theft.”Sources: Jasmine Baehr, Fox Business News, September 14, 2024, and William Kennedy, WGTC, August 19, 2024.
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Post by catherine on Sept 15, 2024 8:12:26 GMT -5
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