Is this an extravagant, doomsday village or a hyper-secure, luxury condo? Perhaps a bit of both.
Trident Lakes—a $320-million, private resort-style project developed by Dallas-based Vintuary Holdings Corporation—is currently under construction in Ector, Texas, approximately 70 miles northeast of Dallas.
Designed to withstand most apocalyptic scenarios from nuclear attacks to virus pandemics and intergalactic events, the 700-acre project is heavily guarded by a wraparound 13-foot security wall, two private security watchtowers camouflaged as architectural features, a private security force, and possibly, a private airstrip at approximately 6,000 feet—long enough to handle almost any aircraft, according to James O’Connor, CEO of Trident Lakes.
The idea of this doomsday escape first came about in conversations among like-minded people in Dallas’s social circles. “Wondering what they would desire in a Plan B to face the growing dangers in the world, some of these folks immediately realized how there’s nothing in the States that fully combines ‘doomsday’ safety with upscale country club living. So in 2016, they became the community’s board members and began developing this project,” said Richie Whitt—Spokesman and Communications Director of Trident Lakes.
After running six months of tests, doing their due diligence and consulting ex-military officials, the team at Trident Lakes decided to include a navigable tunnel system and air-purification system to fight against natural airborne diseases and biochemical warfare attacks. What’s more, they ensured that there are off-the-grid supplies of food, water and electricity to sustain the residents.
Worse come to the worst, there’s even a DNA vault. But will it be used for re-populating earth? (Cue disaster music.)
Possibly, according to Whitt, though that will be a very distant concept. “For now, the DNA vault will help families identify and correct—or at least minimize—chromosomal defects. This can scientifically maximize a family’s health potential by fulfilling all their regenerative medical needs,” he said.
Expected to house approximately 2,000 people in 532 steel-reinforced concrete underground luxury condominiums ranging from 900 to 7,200 square-feet, this doomsday escape is no slump.
As a “five-star playground with DEFCON 1 preparedness, Trident Lakes isn’t merely a hole-in-the-ground to hide in, but more so a sustainable, interactive community built to thrive after an apocalyptic event,” said Whitt.
In looking to change people’s view of a “long-term sustainable community,” said O'Connor to the Daily Mail, here are some of the luxury amenities you could expect: A championship golf course, a five-star spa, seven outdoor and indoor sports courts, three 15-acre blue lagoons for water sports, multiple running trails, five gun ranges, an equestrian center, communal greenhouses, 12 helipads, five restaurants and retail shops.
Additionally, the pièce de résistance of the development—a 55,000 square-foot fountain—will surpass Bellagio’s Las Vegas lake to become one of the largest in the world.
When fully built, this 55,000 square-foot fountain will surpass Bellagio’s Las Vegas lake to become... [+]
Given the quiet and private setting, Trident Lakes will be especially popular among celebrities, musicians and professional athletes, according to Whitt.
And like an apocalyptic movie, “The community at Trident Lakes needs residents with diverse skill sets and personality assets, as best to ensure the survival of the development in the event of a disaster,” said O’Connor.
Which is why, these bunkers aren’t just sold to anyone willing to shell $500,000 to $1.5 million for one, but available only to selected folks after fulfilling a string of requirements.
Currently, about 60 percent of the fountain and entrance is complete. (Photo credit: Courtesy of... [+]
Intriguing as Trident Lakes’ concept may be, it certainly isn’t the only luxury bunker project in the market. For instance, there’s the five-star, invitation-only Vivos Europa One in Rothenstein, Germany, which is also as beautiful as it is secure.
Although it’s too early to call this a trend, Jen Cookke—Faculty Member of Real Estate Development at the MIT Center for Real Estate—believes that developments like this could well be established in response to people’s fears upon advent of the recent U.S. political climate and increasingly tension-filled global news.
Even though this type of developments is marketed as protection from catastrophic disasters, no one can assure that these structures could withstand any or all situations. “Therefore, developers of such doomsday projects are wise to market them as more than apocalyptic shelters—as Trident Lakes certainly has by being self-sustainable and offering complete privacy,” said the real estate expert.
