Doomsday shelters line Kansas missile silo

AFP/YahooNews ^ | 4/9/12 | Joe Lambe

[Kartographer]

Tucked deep beneath the Kansas prairie, luxury condos are being built into the shaft of an abandoned missile silo to service anxious -- and wealthy -- people preparing for doomsday.

So far, four buyers have plopped down a total of about $7 million for havens to flee to when disaster happens or the end is nigh. And developer Larry Hall has options to retro-fit three more Cold War-era silos when this one fills up.

"They worry about events ranging from solar flares, to economic collapse, to pandemics to terrorism to food shortages," Hall told AFP on a tour of the site.

These "doomsday preppers", as they are called, want a safe place and he will be there with them because Hall, 55, bought one of the condos for himself. He says his fear is that sun flares could wipe out the power grid and cause chaos.

[Kartographer]

Developer Larry Hall stands on top of survival condos and support services that reach 14 stories underground at a former missile silo north of Salina, Kansas. (AFP Photo/Joe Lambe)

[Kartographer]

Prepping for the 1% PING! ;-)

[ClearCase_guy]

[Williams]

Abandoned missile silo.

Isn’t it just possible Russia or China mistakenly still targets that site?

[driftdiver]

Can you still buy any of these silo’s unimproved? Seems like a couple million would buy you the whole thing instead of just an apartment.

[bolobaby]

You can get them for less than a couple million:

http://www.missilebases.com/properties

[yarddog]

I can remember driving from Wichita to Tulsa, you would see several of them in the distance from the road.

There did not appear to be any defensive measures other than fences tho I am sure there was.

[MrB]

Some are flooded, so there’s that little obstacle.

[Kartographer]

Caller:"Komrade Peggy is 1972 war plan and launch code manual still good?"

'Peggy':"Da! Still good."

[yarddog]

Trapped underground in one of those things is close to the very last place I would want to be under any circumstances.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I can remember driving from Wichita to Tulsa, you would see several of them in the distance from the road.

The flying sequences for the original Christopher Reeves Superman movie were shot in Alberta, Canada because all of the US footage shot in Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, etc. kept having missile silos turning up in the picture (which would not have been there during the Depression)

[bolobaby]

Take a look at a couple of the luxury conversions at the link I provided. It wouldn’t be all bad with the jacuzzi, etc.

As long as you are well supplied, you could shelter in place for an extended period of time.

FYI - sheltering in place is an important part of any readiness plan. This is how you would do it in relative safety and luxury.

[Kartographer]

http://www.missilebases.com/properties

[The Duke]

You know what they’re going to call those folks who plunk down millions to hide in a hole after they crawl out when the food and water is exhausted ... “poor”.

[yarddog]

The fact that I suffer from claustrophobia probably influences me quite a bit, but even if I didn’t I don’t think I would like to be in a place where I could be trapped.

[Gasshog]

Are these the people the Bible mentions saying “rocks fall on us”?

[Gay State Conservative]

If someone drops the big one on US (God dropping an asteroid the size of Ohio or the Iranians dropping 9 gigatons) I’d rather go right away.I think I’ll pass on these fortified underground bunkers and the freeze dried food packets with a 10 year shelf life.

[Sherman Logan]

Uhh, air supply?

Below ground with enemies above is a bad idea. Just ask various Japanese or Germans in bunkers.

Seal off the vents, or pour gasoline into them and drop a match. Of course the second alternative does tend to reduce the plunder potential.

[Bitsy]

This is how you would do it in relative safety and luxury.

Well, only a few wealthy people survive. I wonder how the pampered wealthy will make out ruling what is left of the USA? You can’t live underground forever.

[LoveUSA]

I just hope when the smoke has cleared from armageddon and people like us (Pennsylvanians who have no money or time to build bunkers because we've spent our lives and fortunes trying to run small businesses without the support of even the Republicans in State Government) have disappeared with the chaff, ... I just hope that the wealthy people who survive will carry on the traditions and values of America, and not let the last 236 years amount to nothing.

Heaven knows I've tried, to no avail.