forever marilyn sculpture

“Forever Marilyn” Statue Coming Home to Stay?

P.S. Resorts to privately raise the funds needed to bring the 26-foot blonde bombshell back to Palm Springs

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forever marilyn sculpture
The 26-foot tall "Forever Marilyn" statue is expected to return to downtown Palm Springs.
PHOTO BY JIM POWERS

“Forever Marilyn,” the wildly popular 26-foot tall sculpture of the legendary screen icon Marilyn Monroe which graced downtown Palm Springs for nearly two years — attracting thousands of residents and visitors alike — may soon return to Palm Springs once again, but this time for good.

On Aug. 3, the City Council will hear a proposal from P.S. Resorts during the regularly scheduled 6 p.m. Council meeting to privately fundraise the funds needed in order to bring renowned artist Seward Johnson’s sculpture of the blonde bombshell back to Palm Springs as her final destination.

The sculpture, which is currently owned by the New Jersey-based Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., would potentially reside in the City’s proposed new downtown park currently under construction.

P.S. Resorts is currently negotiating a title sponsorship agreement with the RumChata Foundation to cover half the cost of bringing the sculpture back to Palm Springs and working on a plan to acquire the additional funds needed for the purchase through private donations.

“The City Council is looking forward to hearing from P.S. Resort about this potential partnership to bring Forever Marilyn back permanently,” said City Manager David H. Ready. “As Palms Springs continues to experience a renaissance as one of the world’s premier resort destinations, this is an exciting development as we move forward with our Downtown Revitalization Project.”

The RumChata Foundation is a 501c3 organization that was formed to share the good fortune created by the world-wide success achieved by the RumChata brand. Its mission is to provide financial support to worthy causes. The foundation takes great pride in making specific choices for donations that make a significant difference for an organization or community.

“The mission of P.S. Resorts is to stimulate tourism through the creation of events and partnerships and that is exactly what we did when we brought Forever Marilyn to Palm Springs the first time — and now we plan to do it again, but this time forever,” said Aftab Dada, Chairman of P.S. Resorts. “We look forward to working with the RumChata Foundation and other important donors to bring Marilyn back to Palm Springs where she belongs.”

Marilyn Monroe has a rich history in Palm Springs. She once owned a home in the city’s Movie Colony neighborhood and she was first discovered by her Hollywood agent at the historic Racquet Club.

The RumChata Foundation is proud to have donated more than $485,000 over the years to the veterans aid organization, Lone Survivor Foundation through its annual RumChata Freedom Bottle Program. The RumChata organization has also supported local and national charities, including but not limited to, various grass roots charitable organizations, The American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association, Variety Clubs and Gridiron Greats in addition to graduate student scholarship programs at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Illinois Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

“Forever Marilyn was a wildly successful tourism booster for our destination,” according to Mary Jo Ginther, Director of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism. “Marilyn has traveled to other cities, but no other city has embraced her with as much love and appreciation as Palm Springs. We are thrilled she may soon return again to forever become a part of the magic that makes our city like no place else.”

To donate, visit www.DonateForeverMarilyn.com to make a contribution.