Michael Jackson buying home in Florida

[Trauma-san]

 Singer Jackson spotted in county


By Sarah Eisenhauer, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 23, 2003



BOYNTON BEACH -- First, he was spotted eating frozen yogurt at Sprinkles, an ice cream parlor on Palm Beach, late last month.

Now add the Publix Supermarket near U.S. 1 and Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach to the growing list of Michael Jackson sightings in Palm Beach County.

The pop icon, who reportedly is in the county shopping for real estate, showed up at the grocery store in a black Mercedes at about 10 p.m. Friday, after the store closed, with an entourage of about six people, witnesses said.

It appeared Jackson was headed to a birthday party because he bought a birthday cake, champagne, balloons and roses, witnesses said.

As word quickly spread, about 60 fans gathered outside the store. Doug Husen, a Delray Beach assistant property manager, said Jackson signed autographs and allowed the fans to snap pictures.

"I'm the greatest fan of Michael Jackson," Husen said. "This was a once-in-a-lifetime thing." Jackson even traded hats, giving Husen the baseball-style cap he was wearing in exchange for Husen's Florida Marlins hat.

"I just said 'Michael do you want to swap hats?' and he said 'sure' and autographed his hat for me," Husen said. "I still can't believe it."

Jackson reportedly toured the $45 million, 22-room Marden estate on Palm Beach in December, but decided 17,000 square feet wasn't enough room.

But if you believe an article in the new Vanity Fair, Jackson might be looking for a better price. Vanity Fair reports the elusive entertainer is in debt to the tune of $250 million.

If that's the case, maybe Jackson would be interested in ex-WorldCom CFO Scott Sullivan's unfinished mansion west of Boca Raton.

Sullivan, indicted on seven counts of securities fraud, put his 19,000-square-foot estate on the market for $22.5 million -- about 2,000 square feet bigger than the Marden estate for half the price.

sarah_eisenhauer@pbpost.com