Reply With Quote[quote=cameron;206286]
"Good old Joe" heh!
Now he is tight with Cilla.
http://www.elvisinfonet.com/auction_banners.html
In 1976 Elvis Presley entered in to his sole business venture and investment – The Presley Center Courts Racquet Ball Club in Memphis Tennessee. Land was purchased in Memphis with plans to open also in Nashville and across the USA, a very important ‘out of music’ investment.
The Bank of Commerce in Memphis appears to have placed a first charge on Graceland to secure construction financing. As Elvis’s close friends, known as the ‘Memphis Mafia’, arranged for their contractor, designers and experts in the field of tennis and racquet ball courts, construction bit into some one million dollars plus – before even braking ground! Both Elvis and Col. Parker became alarmed, far away in Bel Aire, California.
Upon arrival Elvis was presented with a special gift of a custom made wall banner bearing the famous ‘Taking Care of Business’ lightning bolt together with the ‘Tree of Life’ with 14KT gold bullion names of each member of Presley’s inner circle in the ‘Memphis Mafia’, another larger work which hung across the gable end of the Center Courts Club House and a smaller banner for the Karate Club that was to developed later.
Elvis accepted the gift not knowing at the time that it had been charged to the costume and stage-ware account of his Hollywood tailor and costume maker. Some months passed until Elvis was fully aware of what was happening with his line of credit.
Upon Elvis giving his blessing to this project private investors started buying in. Some of Elvis’s cousins and close friends mortgaged their homes to become involved.
As time went by costs are believed to have passed four million dollars and Elvis was in fear of losing his beloved Graceland until he paid back the bank in full.
Richard Calhoun, a well-known oil promoter and friend of Col. Tom Parker (Elvis’s manager) met with Elvis and Parker in 1976 and agreed to buy out 70% of the company, not knowing at the time the trouble that it was in.
Elvis was so happy that he presented Calhoun with his 14KT bullion banner and the two others, stating “Mr Calhoun, you can still use my family name but not Elvis and I will always be available to promote this franchise”.
Within just seven days the truth was out. Calhoun and Parker pulled out their investment, while Elvis was obligated to repay the Bank of Commerce over one and a half million dollars.
Bad feeling were escalated and Elvis would close ranks to just the chosen few in his “Memphis Mafia” circle.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
[quote=cameron;206286]
"Good old Joe" heh!
Now he is tight with Cilla.
The first I heard about the deal of "Presley Center Courts"....was Elvis complaining/sharing to Red West in those famous secretly made tapes...Elvis was trying to explain himself and all that was going on in his life. In the tape Elvis states that he thought all he was doing was helping his friends Joe Esposito and Dr. Nick by lending his NAME to the project.... and before sweet Elvis knew what was happening he was knee deep in manure.
I will never forget you Rosanne.
R.I.P. 4-27-59~7-22-09
No need for me say a word.....I completely agree with you. How sad that this was all going down in the last months of his life. Hindsight is 20/20...I wonder how these guys would handle things given a second chance.Originally Posted by SweetCaroline
The first I heard about the deal of "Presley Center Courts"....was Elvis complaining/sharing to Red West in those famous secretly made tapes...Elvis was trying to explain himself and all that was going on in his life. In the tape Elvis states that he thought all he was doing was helping his friends Joe Esposito and Dr. Nick by lending his NAME to the project.... and before sweet Elvis knew what was happening he was knee deep in manure.
The last couple of years of Elvis`s life is so tragic and sad. Even though there were so many around him , he had to deal with everything internally himself . I can`t imagine the pain and stress he was suffering inside. Yet he faced his concerts in the end with so much pride and dignity just for us, his fans. After all in the end we were all he had and he gave his all just for us. I just know somewhere he is looking down on his fans and feeling so proud that we have stuck by him after all these years and continues to love him for all he did to make us happy. O.k now I need a tissue... Kim
O M G!Elvis accepted the gift not knowing at the time that it had been charged to the costume and stage-ware account of his Hollywood tailor and costume maker.Giving him a gift that he paid for? Did I read that right? Could he trust anyone!? Excuse me while I go vent off some anger - I'll be at the batting cage. . .ttyl. .
Just pretend, I'm holding you, and whispering things soft and low.
And think of me, how it's gonna be and just pretend I didn't go
Beautiful post Kim.......
I know what you were thinking Lisa...I kept re-reading it and thinking to myself "Am I reading this right? The poor man paid for his own gift?" No wonder that the last year of his life was spiraling out of control....O M G!
How sad that this was all going down in the last months of his life. Hindsight is 20/20...I wonder how these guys would handle things given a second chance.
Elvis had so much on his shoulders. I know his close friends all say how much they loved him....but I can't help but wonder how most of them sleep at night knowing they bear at least some of the responsiblity for the DIFFICULT last many months that Elvis suffered through.
I will never forget you Rosanne.
R.I.P. 4-27-59~7-22-09
that whole article just made me sothis could only happen to the nicest guy n the world.
it'd made me rant and rave on staage and everywhere. AND he had to keep working just to keep his beloved Graceland - literally, it seems.
Lisarose, i've got some more tokens for the batting cage, move over!
All I wanted was a white knight with a good heart, soft touch, fast horse
Ride me off into the sunset Baby, I'm forever yours
I just like to look at the whole picture. There's many things that we, as fans, know nothing about in his life. IMO, Elvis was very much alone toward the end. He was no saint, but,his "friends" very much used him. Some still do after all these years.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
Very sad, but VERY true I would imagine.
I just like to look at the whole picture. There's many things that we, as fans, know nothing about in his life. IMO, Elvis was very much alone toward the end. He was no saint, but,his "friends" very much used him. Some still do after all these years.
It is all water under the bridge, I guess; however, this is why, some of us, including you Cameron, and many of Elvis' friends who have read the boards over the years, have stood up for Elvis, when the "Memphis Mafia" books were quoted as true, and something we should all follow as gospel, like sheep, which is soooo wrong!
There were many reasons, good reasons, and many facets, to Elvis' story, of why things happened to be, and turn out, the way they did. So many stresses.......
We are all human, and there is truth in the stories, but also reasons, why Elvis reacted as he did.
All I can say, is that my respect for Elvis couldn't be higher, as having been in business for myself, I can only imagine the magnitude of his responsibilities, caring and looking after so many people, while trying to keep sane, with everything else that was going on around him.
Then on top of that, people blowing things out of proportion, as is still the case these days, with anything, to sell magazines, or for some "celebrities" to promote themselves in anyway, by positive or negative promotion by name dropping.
Alright, off the soap box, lol, but that's it in a nutshell, in my opinion. Also more power to his friends who still watch over him!
Exactly! Thank you, Jess!It is all water under the bridge, I guess; however, this is why, some of us, including you Cameron, and many of Elvis' friends who have read the boards over the years, have stood up for Elvis, when the "Memphis Mafia" books were quoted as true, and something we should all follow as gospel, like sheep, which is soooo wrong!
Alright, off the soap box, lol, but that's it in a nutshell, in my opinion. Also more power to his friends who still watch over him!
Just pretend, I'm holding you, and whispering things soft and low.
And think of me, how it's gonna be and just pretend I didn't go
Everyone should hold on a second.Elvis had so much on his shoulders. I know his close friends all say how much they loved him....but I can't help but wonder how most of them sleep at night knowing they bear at least some of the responsiblity for the DIFFICULT last many months that Elvis suffered through.
Yes it was a terrible thing to present a gift to Elvis that he paid for.
But......
All this talk of poor Elvis etc...
He was 42 years of age and the best entertainer on the planet. How he got himself into such a financial mess and agreed to be part of this without looking over it fully....while putting up Graceland to pay for it is beyond belief.
It just shows how far from reality Elvis was at the end, that he would even allow this to happen. He was taken advantage of......but he was a grown man who should have known better.
The Sun Never Sets On A Legend...
I guess you never trusted "friends" and got screwed over .
Unfortunately, I have.
You might try reading to see what they told him.
Last edited by cameron; 04-21-2008 at 12:27 PM.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
Yes I have read what they are supposed to have told him.
I believe though that Elvis was naive - it was a large undertaking and ultimately the medication he was abusing caused a lapse of judgment.
The Sun Never Sets On A Legend...
Obviously, you can think what you like.I see it differently.
It happened to me . I'm neither nieve nor taking any medication.
You just assume you can trust ones that have been friends for years.
I hope it never happens to you. Money talks.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
You are right on the mark Cameron. Medication had nothing to do with it. People would do well to remember that he was a 20 year old kid when his life began to be controlled by others. A 20 year old naive kid whose parents had no background in the world of business either...at the very least he thought he could trust his friends..as we ALL do. Lucky is the man who never gets screwed over by friends/and..or/ relatives.
I don't know what to say.....Good Grief
Good to see you, T.O.M.
You might think so. Especially since one was the doctor writing all those scripts.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
Posting Permissions
