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    Maker of Dreams: Creating Michael Jackson's "Neverland Valley Park"
    Maker of Dreams: Creating Michael Jackson's "Neverland Valley Park"
    Maker of Dreams: Creating Michael Jackson's "Neverland Valley Park"
    Ebook283 pages1 hour

    Maker of Dreams: Creating Michael Jackson's "Neverland Valley Park"

    By Robert E. "Rob" Swinson

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    About this ebook

    In early June of 1990, Swinson received his first calls from Norma E. Staikos, Executive Administrator for MJJ Productions in Los Angeles, California, and from “MJJ” himself, Michael Joseph Jackson, requesting Swinson’s assistance to help Michael Jackson create and build his longtime “Neverland Dream” — an amusement park for the “children of the world” - at his private residence, the beautiful 2,700-acre Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, CA. During the development of Neverland Valley Amusement Park, Jackson anointed Swinson the “Maker of Dreams,” and this book is an attempt to share with Michael’s worldwide fans “the rest of the story” about some of Jackson’s happiest years while here on Earth…and now at peace in his Spirit World! Michael’s passing was an incredible loss to many and affected tens of thousands of worldwide admirers. Swinson was just one of those who suffered in silence – until now!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateDec 23, 2014
    ISBN9780991155835
    Maker of Dreams: Creating Michael Jackson's "Neverland Valley Park"

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      Book preview

      Maker of Dreams - Robert E. "Rob" Swinson

      Maker of Dreams

      Creating Michael Jackson’s Neverland Valley Park

      by Robert E. Rob Swinson,

      Michael Jackson’s Maker of Dreams

      Maker of Dreams - Creating Michael Jackson’s Neverland Valley Park

      by Robert E. Rob Swinson

      First Edition

      Copyright 2013 by Robert E. Swinson

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

      Published by Robert E. Rob Swinson

      Printed in the United States of America by Walsworth Publishing Company, Marceline, Missouri

      ISBN: 978-0-9911558-1-1 (Hardcover)

      ISBN: 978-0-9911558-0-4 (Softcover)

      Front Cover: Michael Jackson’s childhood dream, Neverland Valley Amusement Park, was first brought to life at the end of Oct. 1990 with the installation of his first three permanent amusement rides (L-R) - new Eli Bridge Company Ferris Wheel, Chance Rides, Inc. custom 50-foot Grand Carrousel, and Eyerly Aircraft Company used Spider. The most significant and historically important event during the creation and initial development of Jackson’s private amusement park at his Neverland Valley Ranch occurred on our nationally celebrated day of disguises - Halloween Eve, Oct. 31, 1990 - when Rob Swinson & Michael Jackson enjoyed their very first inaugural rides together on the Grand Carrousel and a Chance Rides, Inc. 24-inch gauge C. P. Huntington miniature train delivered two weeks earlier. The irony of this nationally recognized day established primarily for children (but also celebrated by many child at heart adults!) and Jackson’s love of disguises, the Children of the World and bringing out the child within each of us cannot be overlooked. This historic moment should be recognized as a day of International remembrance and recognition of all children, and designated Michael Jackson’s Children’s Day - similar in importance and recognition to our current nationally celebrated Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. The establishment of a special national Children’s Day was of great importance to Jackson, and he personally campaigned for it’s creation with some of our United States presidents during his lifetime.

      Back Cover: By May 1992, the entrance area to Michael Jackson’s personal amusement park was accented with Disney type music streaming from simulated rock speakers, beautiful floral landscaping and the two large books of poetry by Jackson at the far left along the Yellow Brick Road walkway. Another feature included artist David E. Nordahl’s inspired Neverland Valley Park sign at far right, which incorporated a reproduction of Nordahl’s 1989 painting, Playmates for a Lonely Child. The recently installed Wipeout from Chance Rides, Inc. is visible in far background just left of the white gazebo in center of photograph.

      Title Page: Rob Swinson, the Maker of Dreams, & Michael Jackson congratulate each other a few years after the creation of his long-time dream, Neverland Valley Park, became a reality. The Neverland Valley amusement park was acknowledged by Michael Jackson and others as one of his most important personal lifetime achievements, created for his Children of the World - especially the underprivileged, handicapped and terminally ill.

      Dedication

      Rob Swinson & Michael Jackson having fun and switching hats!

      If my friend Michael Jackson were still here today, I would tell him, Thank you, Michael, for allowing me to share some of your footsteps on your path through life... I hope you have found the peacefulness so much desired, and may God bless you for what you were able to accomplish during your too brief of a lifetime here on Earth!

      Love always - in your name.

      In memory of Michael Joseph Jackson, August 29 ,1958 - June 25, 2009

      Neverland Valley Ranch Main Entry Gates

      Photo by Shazari, 9 July 2009

      This image was originally posted to Flickr by Shazari at http://flickr.com/photos/21625048@N00/3706054334

      From interview with Michael Jackson: "Neverland appeals to the child inside of every man, woman and child. It’s a place where I feel that you can return to your childhood. You find grownups, you know, doing things they haven’t done since they were like 10 years old. It’s a fun wonderful place to be; it’s so much to do...So it’s just a fun place. I love it, and I will always love it and I will never ever sell Neverland. Neverland is me. It represents the totality of who I am, it really does. I love Neverland."

      Michael Jackson’s Home Neverland: Living in Neverland, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbVjM1lePNo

      Table of Contents

      In Loving Memory, Acknowledgements, & PTT

      Foreword

      Comments from Friends of Michael Jackson

      Maker of Dreams - Creating Michael Jackson’s Neveland Valley Park

      Norma Staikos Letters

      Rob Swinson’s Neverland Work Diary

      Neverland Valley Park Construction

      C. P. Huntington Miniature Train Installation

      Ferris Wheel Installation

      Grand Carrousel Installation

      Spider Installation

      Giant Slide Installation

      Zipper Installation

      Sea Dragon Installation

      Wipeout Installation

      The Carrousel Animals

      Appendix

      Brad Sundberg Interview With Rev. Dr. Catherine Gross

      Michael Jackson Online Related Sites & Videos

      About the Author

      In Loving Memory

      To the loving memory of my mother, Pauline E. Polly Swinson (Sept. 10, 1907 - Nov. 11, 2002), who was always my closest ally, companion and supporter throughout our lifetime together. A wonderful teacher of children, adventurer, world traveler and most loving of mothers; she was always a tremendous inspiration and will forever be deeply missed.

      Acknowledgements

      One of my most important responsibilities in writing and compiling this book is to give proper acknowledgement to those who have assisted me.

      I am deeply indebted to Ms. Laura Wayland-Smith Hatch, Salmon Creek Media & Marketing, Williamson, New York, for her patience, understanding, and tireless effort in assisting me in the development, formatting, and many hours of editing required to create this book, so I am able to share my stories and pictures with Michael Jackson’s family, friends and worldwide fans.

      To David E. Nordahl and his wife, Lori Peterson, my sincerest appreciation for giving me permission to include images of some of the incredible artwork David created for Michael. David depicted him in a manner and in settings that only someone closely associated with Michael and who had a personal understanding and very close relationship with him for several years could have done.

      My tremendous appreciation to Dr. Jeremy Crosby, Robert J. Dole Veterans Hospital in Wichita, KS, for diagnosing my severe PTSD in the spring of 2008, and encouraging me to write about some of my life’s experiences as a means of therapy. It helped!

      My very special thanks to Brad Sundberg, BSUN Media Systems Orlando, and Marina Dobler, member of Team MJJBook, MJJBook.com, from Germany for their continual support and assistance during the development of this project, and then reviewing the initial text draft for my book.

      Also, thanks and recognition to Oliver Brick Price of WonderWorks, Canoga Park, CA, and Ron Pastore, Web site developer of "MakerofDreams.com from Wichita, Kansas, for their support and encouragement. Many unnamed others worked behind-the-scenes" in support of our joined efforts to create Michael Jackson’s dream - Neverland Valley Park.

      PTT: Performance - Truthfulness - Trust

      This never before personally identified Dream Team list was created by Michael and became the primary foundation he consulted with regarding our Neverland Valley Park project. The following is a list of Michael’s dreamers, in addition to myself, versus those who were primarily the doers:

      I wish to recognize Dr. Jeremy Crosby at the Wichita VA, and his PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) projects to help ALL war veterans. A portion of the proceeds from this book will be used for the benefit of Vietnam Veterans suffering from PTSD.

      Foreword

      On the anniversary of what would have been Michael Jackson’s 55th birthday (August 29, 2013), I announced the release of a book of personal stories and photographs to share with his family and many fans and admirers

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