P.S. Resorts negotiating to bring Marilyn Monroe statue back to Palm Springs permanently

“Forever Marilyn,” the 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 — will soon return to Palm Springs once again, but this time forever.

At Wednesday night’s city council meeting, council members authorized City Manager David Ready to begin discussions with P.S. Resorts to bring Marilyn back to Palm Springs on a permanent basis.

P.S. Resorts is a consortium of large hoteliers charged with creating events to boost tourism.

City officials said the statue would reside in the city’s new upcoming downtown park.

According to the release, P.S. Resorts is currently negotiating a title sponsorship agreement with RumChata Foundation to cover half the purchase cost of bringing the Seward Johnson-designed sculpture back to Palm Springs. In addition, the hoteliers are working on a fundraising plan to acquire Forever Marilyn through private donations. Anyone interested in donating to the cause will be able to make a donation by visiting DonateForeverMarilyn.com.

“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 all over the world, but no other city has embraced her with as much love and appreciation as Palm Springs. We are thrilled she will soon return to forever become a part of the magic that makes our city like no place else.”