Jacksonmania In Jacksonville (update)

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Michael Jackson brought his Victory Tour to the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL on three nights from July 21-23, 1984 to perform in front of over 135,000 fans.(The Florida Times-Union, Staff)

UPDATE: October 28th, 2013

Conrad Murray, the physician a California jury held responsible for the death of pop star Michael Jackson, is  scheduled for release from prison today. His attorney says Murray wants to get his medical license back so he can set up a practice in Texas.  Meanwhile, earlier this month a California jury decided that A.E.G. Live, Michael Jackson’s final concert promoter, was not responsible for the pop star’s death on June 25, 2009.  That case is just one of many involving the pop star during his tumultuous career.

Though Michael Jackson never got to perform during that final concert tour, many in Florida will always remember his appearance here in 1984.  In July of 1984, Michael Jackson and his brothers brought their “Victory Tour” to the Gator Bowl in JacksonvilleThe Jacksons gave three separate concerts from July 21st thru the 23rd that July.

For weeks prior to the concerts there was Jacksonmania in Jacksonville in 1984.  Days of preparation went into the three-show tour stop in JAX.  As Donna Green-Townsend reported for WUFT’s statewide business show, “Speaking of Business,” some residents in Duvall County were not totally happy about what the community had to pay up front to bring the tour to Jacksonville.  Meanwhile, other businesses made money catering food and housing the Jackson entourage. (1984 feature produced for Speaking of Business on WUFT)