Austin fans mourn Jackson

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Those at the Lake Creek and South Lamar Alamo locations are preparing for Michael Jackson’s memorial. They are airing the ceremony in Los Angeles live beginning at noon. Doors open at 11 a.m.

In L.A., a host of stars will gather for a memorial service to remember Michael Jackson.  Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor are among the guests expected to attend the ceremony, which is being held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Tickets for the event are being offered online for thousands of dollars.

Only 17,500 tickets were given away, with 11,000 entrants able to go inside the arena and the remaining 6,500 ushered just across the street to the Nokia Theater where the proceedings will be simulcast. Only 8,750 people were selected randomly by a computer-generated program. Each selected fan received two tickets and two wristbands.

Fans said it was not just Jackson’s message or his music, it was also his moves.

"It’s unbelievable, I'm still trying to learn how to do the moonwalk,” said Andrew Ridge of Austin.

With Jackson's public memorial service just a day away, Austin fans are mourning.

"It’s a historic day, it’s a sad day, but it’s a very historic day,” said Ridge.

Others are trying to profit. On Craigslist and eBay you can find tickets to the memorial in Los Angeles going for f$4,000 or $5,000. Memorial organizers warn that many of the ticket offers are either fake or nontransferable. Anyone selected in the lottery had to show up in person today, where they were fitted with a nonremovable wristband.

Henri Mazza is one of the more than one million who wanted to go.

"I did not get the coveted e-mail, but hey fortunately we have theaters we can put this in," said Mazza.

The South Lamar and Lake Creek Alamo locations will be showing the memorial starting at noon for those who want to watch in the company of other MJ fans. The Lake Creek location will be taking guests first come first serve for the free showing. Meanwhile, the South Lamar location is asking guests to pre register online by purchasing a $5 food and beverage voucher they can redeem Tuesday.

"It’s sad that he's gone but he did leave a legacy of some pretty great music,” said Erin Hickok of Austin.