LOS ANGELES (RPRN) 7/06/2009–Thousands of Michael Jackson fans are celebrating after they won tickets to the deceased pop star’s public memorial. One-point-six million people registered for an online drawing for tickets to the event, but only 8,750 lucky fans were randomly selected. Each winner receives two tickets for Tuesday’s ceremony.
The ticket winners were notified by e-mail Sunday. Although the event organizers have warned against it, some ticket holders have posted intentions to sell their seats online.
The international pop icon’s public memorial will be held at The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Some of the 17,500 tickets are for the neighboring Nokia Theater, where the memorial will be simulcast.
Los Angeles city officials are preparing for hundreds of thousands of fans without tickets to attempt to reach the event.
Police say they are gearing up to maintain order. They say roads around the arena will be closed and fans will not be allowed into the area without a ticket.
The concert promotion agency AEG has said that a television pool feed of the memorial will be available so that Jackson’s fans from around the world can watch the service.
The 50-year-old Jackson died suddenly on June 25 in Los Angeles. A cause of death has not been determined, and authorities are investigating whether medications are to blame. Toxicology results are not expected for weeks.
Photo credit: In this handout photo provided by AEG, pop star Michael Jackson rehearses at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. (AP Photo/ Kevin Mazur, AEG/Getty Images), courtesy of Hollywood Toda