Staples Center is set to host the Michael Jackson public memorial this Tuesday July 7, 2009.
The center built in 1998 is located in downtown Los Angeles, and has a capacity of 20,000 spectators. Staples Center is part of a much larger 4,000,000-square-foot development by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) the same company that backed Jackson's planned tour.The overflow of people wanting to pay respect to Jackson will be directed to the adjacent Nokia/L.A. Live which is famous for the American Idol Finale.
Originally the tickets were planned to be sold but after a public uproar they decided to give them away free. To level the playing field for the thousands of fans desiring a ticket to the memorial, promotors have decided to have a lottery drawing. Fans of the King of Pop can register online for the drawing at www.staplescenter.com/memorial.php
After that the names will randomly be drawn to see who be able to attend the memorial. Then the organizers will draw 8,750 names, those people will receive two tickets and wristbands each on Monday. An expected 11,000 tickets will be given out for the staples center and 6,500 tickets for the Nokia Theater where the service will be show via live feed.
Nokia ( WIKI)
They have also decided to make the service accessible to the general public via live broadcast over the airways on Television and on Internet. It has not been announced if the family will attend or not. It has also been reported there will be no “production” and that the stage which held the last performance of Pop Star Michael Jackson will be “dark”. This service is expected to equal, if not top the audience who watched the Princess Diana funeral service which took place in Westminster Abbey September 6, 1997.