A doomsday community is in search of residents to live in its 575 bunkers which can reportedly fit up to 10,000 people.
In the Black Hills mountain range in South Dakota, a former army base which stored munitions has been repurposed into bunkers.
The base has since been transformed into liveable bunkers aimed at providing an ‘epic humanitarian survival project’ – not just for the top 1%.
Dante Vicino, the executive director of Vivos, who runs the doomsday bunkers, told AbsolutelyBusiness.com: ‘”Average people” can now reserve their spot for when all hell breaks loose.
‘Vivos, now known as an epic humanitarian survival project, is fully prepared for whatever and whenever events may unfold.’
Mr Vicino said members of the doomsday group are not ‘preppers’ or the ‘elite’, but ‘well-educated, average people’ who want to protect their families during uncertain times.
He added: ‘Their economic profile is also diverse from lower middle-class incomes to high-net-worth individuals.
Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news
Want to be the first to hear the world’s top stories? Metro.co.uk is now on WhatsApp sending vital updates and top trending stories straight to your phone.
Join the Metro WhatsApp community now for breaking news, juicy showbiz stories and must-watch videos from across our website.
Simply click on this link and select ‘Join Chat’. Don’t forget to turn on notifications so you’ll always be the first to hear the latest!
‘When everyone else is scrambling for a solution, our members will journey to their designated shelter, joined by hundreds of like-minded people, all prepared to lock the blast door and ride out whatever threats may be going on above.’
The shelters are reportedly outfitted for a minimum of one year of autonomous operation without people needing to return to the surface.
Mr Vicino cited the Covid-19 ‘threat’, Ukrainian war and tension with China and the Middle East as reasons for demand growing.
He said: ‘We are living in very dangerous times, making the need to have a life-assurance shelter solution a must-have, for those who want to survive these extinction-level events, and to have the opportunity to emerge safely thereafter on the other side.’
The modern bunkers made by Vivos are furnished and filled with any necessities in a lush open-plan floor space.
The living area comes equipped with sofas, a rug and a coffee table, while the kitchen is fully stocked with a fridge freezer, microwave, oven, washing machine, and dining table.
For bedrooms and bathrooms, those interested are given four options.
Plan A comes with four twin rooms, one double bedroom and one bathroom.
Plan B comes with four twin rooms, one double bedroom, one bathroom and one wet room.
Plan C offers two twin rooms, one double bedroom, one master bedroom with an en suite and one bathroom.
Lastly, plan D provides eight single bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Mr Vicino said: ‘Inquiries and applications are up over 2,000% year over year, plus sales are up over 300% and growing exponentially.
‘Everyone seems to be jumping off the fence and wanting an immediate survival solution.
‘Construction of a new bunker complex can take nine to 12 months depending on scale, location and availability of materials and labour.
‘Vivos is not merely about concrete, steel and blast doors. It is about having a backup plan for mankind to survive and for families to have the opportunity to potentially be part of a like-minded community as these events unfold.’
The compound in the US is called Vivos Xpoint, but the company is also building Vivos Europa, located in a mountain in Germany.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected]. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
