Deadline extended for Hollywood sign land purchase

[April 20, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The effort to preserve the land beside the world-famous Hollywood sign has taken a typical Tinseltown twist: "To be continued."

The Trust for Public Land said Wednesday it has received a 16-day extension to finish raising the $12.5 million it needs to buy and preserve the hilltop property from private developers.

Its purchase option was originally scheduled to expire Wednesday. The group says it's $1.5 million away from its goal.

The trust hopes to buy the land from its Chicago-area owners and give it to the city so it can be incorporated into the adjacent, 4,200-acre Griffith Park.

Aileen Getty, a billionaire daughter of oil baron J. Paul Getty, and The Tiffany and Co. Foundation have contributed $1 million each to the effort.

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On the Net:

Save Cahuenga Peak: http://www.savehollywoodland.org/

[Associated Press]

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