August 15, 2007 20:20

Fan to restore Elvis Presley's Palm Springs home

It'll be the 'Elvis of California'

A fan of Elvis Presley has announced plans to turn the King's former Palm Springs, California home into a tourist attraction.

Reno Fontana and his wife, Laura, recently bought the Spanish-style, five-bedroom home site unseen. They plan to restore it and offer Elvis fans another destination besides his Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee.

"I want this to be Elvis of California," Fontana told the Associated Press. "We may have our names on the deed, but we are the caretakers. This house belongs to Elvis fans around the world."

Elvis and his wife Priscilla Presley bought the home in April 1970 and lived there part-time with their daughter, Lisa Marie.

As previously reported, approximately 50,000 Elvis fans are expected to gather in Memphis tonight (August 15) to perform a candlelit vigil to mark the 30th anniversary of the star’s death.

Come back tomorrow at 9am (BST) tomorrow (August 16) for NME.COM's special Elvis picture gallery to mark the King's 30th anniversary.

See our special Elvis picture gallery online now.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
[url="/about"] Find out more about NME.[/url]