Forever Marilyn statue could return to Palm Springs

The beloved, larger-than-life “Forever Marilyn” statue might soon return to Palm Springs -- for good.

Tourism-promotion group P.S. Resorts has started negotiating an agreement with the RumChata Foundation, a charitable foundation formed by the tropical liqueur-producing company that donates to causes it believes will improve a community, to cover half the cost of relocating the blonde bombshell.

The remainder of the cost would be covered through private fundraising.

A representative of the group could not be reached Thursday to answer questions about the cost of the project and fundraising methods.

The Marilyn Monroe statue, and the Aluminaire House, could find a prominent new home in the downtown park currently under construction.

Downtown Palm Springs park saves spot for Marilyn

P.S. Resorts will present a proposal to the Palm Springs City Council at its Aug. 3 meeting about how it plans to raise the necessary funds for the statue relocation, according to a news release.

“The City Council is looking forward to hearing from P.S. Resorts about this potential partnership to bring Forever Marilyn back permanently,” City Manager David Ready said in a statement. “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.”

Monroe’s story is closely tied to Palm Springs. She was initially discovered at the Palm Springs Racquet Club and owned a home in the Movie Colony neighborhood.

The 26-foot-tall statue, which depicts Monroe’s famous skirt-blowing up scene from "The Seven Year Itch," came to Palm Springs from Chicago in 2012. It stood at the corner of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way until 2014, when it was disassembled and moved to New Jersey.

Forever Marilyn arrives in New Jersey

Community groups and city council members, including former mayor Steve Pougnet, promised they would continue the fight to bring the statue back to Palm Springs. Organized Neighborhoods of Palm Springs also urged the city to prioritize returning the statue when it created the city budget this spring.

“While she has been gone for a couple of years, Marilyn is not forgotten,” ONE-PS Chair Lisa Middleton wrote in a letter to the council in April. “She touched our hearts and made us smile. She was an iconic part of our town. We ask the city to continue its efforts in cooperation with our Resort Community to bring Marilyn back to Palm Springs to a prominent place where residents and visitors alike can gather, smile and have their picture taken.”

Corinne Kennedy covers the West Valley for The Desert Sun. She can be reached at Corinne.Kennedy@DesertSun.com, on Twitter at @CorinneSKennedy or at (760)778-4625.