If Graceland had not been open to the public

If EPE hadnt opened Gracelands gates in 1982 what do you think would have become of it now?
Some fans believe it should never have been open to the public, that Elvis would not have wanted it that way and what EPE is doing and continues to do
is wrong and is just all a money making scheme.
What are your views? Do you think it was a mistake to open Graceland in 1982? Would it still be here today if it wasnt or be better for not letting the public in?

I have found some information about when and why Graceland was open to the public makes an interesting read:

At Elvis's death, the estate he left was not at all broke, however, there was a cash flow problem, especially with the upkeep of Graceland that cost Lisa Marie over half a million dollars a year. Due to this fact, it seemed only logical for Priscilla and the executors of the estate to open Graceland to the public as it was slowly depleting Lisa Marie’s inheritance to pay the taxes and upkeep on the property.

Priscilla Presley hired Jack Soden, a Missouri investment counselor at the time, to plan and execute the opening of Graceland to the public and oversee the total operation. Graceland opened for tours on June 7, 1982.

Over the next few years the properties in and around Graceland were acquired. Today all the shops and attractions in what is now known as Graceland Plaza are owned and operated by the Elvis Presley Enterprise (EPE). Some of the property near Graceland was already owned by the Elvis Presley Enterprise. It was purchased in 1962 but had never been developed.

A very important development for the Graceland visitor experience was the addition of Elvis’s Lisa Marie jet and Hound Dog II Jet Star planes. Vernon Presley, Elvis’s father, had sold these two planes in the year of 1978. The current owners of Elvis Presley Enterprise brought them back home to Memphis in a joint venture and opened them up for on-board tours in 1984. Another major tourist attraction development was the opening of the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum in Graceland Plaza in 1989.

The Graceland Mansion has continued to grow and develop into a very profitable tourist site. In the latter half of the 1980’s, Graceland Crossing, which is a neighboring shopping center with stores that featured Elvis-related items, was built. Graceland Crossing is situated just north of Graceland Plaza. It was independently owned until Graceland purchased it in the fall of 1997 as an addition to Graceland Mansion visitor amenities.

Following this purchase was another major development that involved a purchase of an existing nearby hotel property. The property was renovated and renamed “Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel” in the year of 1999. There is ongoing and continued expansion and enhancement of Graceland Mansion visitor facilities. The developments of new Elvis exhibition projects are planned for the Graceland complex as well, and since opening Graceland to the public in 1982, it has hosted millions of visitors from every state in the union and nearly every country of the world.

The opening of Graceland Mansion has also benefited the tourism trade in Memphis in general. Before its opening, there was only minimal tourism trade in Memphis, Tennessee. Graceland Mansion quickly became the cornerstone of the tourism industry in Memphis and the surrounding region.

opening the gates to the public, in a business sense, i think a great idea. Memphis isnt the richest of places.it must have generated a lot of employment throughout the area and thats got to be a good thing.

on the downside,it was of course somebodies home at one time.

i dont think EPE would have ever got it right,if they sold it back in the early 80's what would the fan reaction be then?

I personally feel it was a great idea to open up Elvis' home to the fans,
and I do not care what other fans' say.. some are offended by it - but
quite frankly those fans that are offended by it do not know Elvis obviously
that well..

Elvis loved having his fans around him, and in fact, there were often many
a times where Elvis would even randomly invite some fans as guests into
his home, he loved having his fans, friends and family around -

Some say that Elvis was a hermit and did not like to be around allot of people
and this is so far from the "truth".... Elvis' right to the near end was still
very much a people person... and I feel that opening up his home to the fans
is something that Elvis' would approve much of from the grave...

Hugs Charmaine