LA Braces for Jackson Masses

City, hard-up for cash, also concerned about costs
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 3, 2009 11:28 AM CDT
LA Braces for Jackson Masses
The Staples Center is shown in Los Angeles, Thursday, July 2, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Now that Michael Jackson’s memorial has a time and place, cash-strapped Los Angeles must move on to the next problems: Where to put tens of thousands of mourners, and how to pay for it. “If you can imagine 100,000 people show up and you have 20,000 capacity, there is not sufficient room,” a city councilman tells the AP, adding that the cost of police overtime is also a concern.

Fans will be able to register for one of the 11,000 free tickets, CNN reports, and even more will watch the event remotely. “This will obviously be a huge media event, and with Web streams of the funeral, it may be impossible to say for sure how many people watched once all is said and done,” says one magazine exec. (More Michael Jackson stories.)

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