Prince’s Paisley Park compound in Minnesota will remain closed to the public for a little while longer after local officials raised concerns about the expected influx of tourists.
In August (16), Bremer Bank officials, who were appointed special administrators for Prince’s estate following his death in April (16), announced the gates to the singer’s private estate and production complex would open for daily public tours from Thursday (06Oct16).
But the launch date has since been postponed as Chanhassen City Council members delay a decision on whether to grant the estate representatives their zoning request, which would reclassify Paisley Park as a museum, and attract an estimated 600,000 visitors a year.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune?, councillors questioned how the venue’s opening would impact the city’s traffic and parking, as well as the safety of the visitors and locals, and they chose to table the zoning ruling for a later date – a move Mayor Denny Laufenburger reportedly objected to.
Prince’s relatives have yet to comment on the delay, but at the time of the museum announcement, the late star’s sister Tyka Nelson insisted welcoming fans into his compound was a dream the Purple Rain icon had harboured for years.
She said, “Opening Paisley Park is something that Prince always wanted to do and was actively working on.
“Only a few hundred people have had the rare opportunity to tour the estate during his lifetime. Now, fans from around the world will be able to experience Prince’s world for the first time as we open the doors to this incredible place.”
If the museum officially gets the go-ahead, visitors will get a guided tour of Paisley Park’s main floor, which features Prince’s recording and mixing studios.
The music icon’s body was found slumped in an elevator inside the Paisley Park compound just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota.
His death was ruled an accidental overdose of powerful painkiller Fentanyl, according to the late legend’s official autopsy findings. Reports suggest he was taking the pills in an effort to cope with the pain of an ongoing hip issue.