MALIBU—A 28-acre stretch of grassy cliff overlooking Malibu’s Surfrider beach is on the brink of becoming the priciest cemetery in the world.
Developer Richard Weintraub purchased the land 18 years ago with the promise that it would be developed into something deemed beneficial to the community, like a hotel, the New York Post reported.
The large plot of land has been left empty and unused until now.
Located along the legendary “Queen’s Necklace” coast, the property starts in Santa Monica and curves north along Southern California; it’s across from Malibu’s Pepperdine University.
After investing years of time and millions of dollars into planning a hotel, Malibu residents’ objections and state regulations derailed Weintraub’s plan, where concerns were raised about traffic and the congestion a hotel would accumulate.
In 2014, Weintraub proposed to the Malibu City Council, a “cemetery that doesn’t look like one.” He thought of the idea when he was visiting a family member’s grave.
“It’s more like a sculpture garden with wild grasses and a beautiful chapel overlooking Surfrider Beach. No tombstones, no creepy feeling,” Weintraub told the NY Post.
He plans to bring in state-of-the-art technology so voice recordings and holograms can be personalized and incorporated into each tomb. The mausoleum’s unique features and $5 million price tag has established an exclusive rapport and attracted celebrities alike.
Weintraub said he’s received requests for family plots from “three or four of the people at the top of the Forbes wealthiest list and major movie stars.”
The plan has so far been green-lighted by several committees; The plan has been given a green-light by several committees and is expected to receive final approval by the end of the year. It is expected to be up and running by 2018.
Canyon News contacted the Malibu City Council, but did not hear back for comment before print.
