Raj Bhakta has decided to sell the campus of the former Green Mountain College to Florida evangelist Tommie Zito rather than donate it.
Insert of Tommy Zito / Photo via social media
Bhakta, an entrepreneur and founder of Bhakta Spirits, purchased the vacant campus in the small town of Poultney, Vermont, at auction in 2020 for $4.55 million, according to Vermont Public.
Green Mountain College was originally founded by Methodists in 1834. It closed in 2019 amid rising costs and declining enrollment.
During his ownership, Bhakta kept the campus from falling into disrepair and allowed locals to use its facilities for events. A small independent school serving about 19 students also operates on part of the campus.
Bhakta had planned to redevelop the campus, but business disputes and tax conflicts with the town convinced him to leave Vermont and relocate his spirits business. Bhakta and the town could not reach an agreement on the property’s valuation or on a plan to ease his tax burden.
Bhakta then invited proposals from organizations interested in using the campus to advance a mission of reviving the United States and Western civilization.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Bhakta’s search produced few finalists, prompting him to sell the campus to Zito. Both parties confirmed the intended sale but did not disclose the purchase price.
Speaking at Walt Disney World on July 4, Zito announced the purchase of what he called “Z University.”
Zito said he was not interested when he first learned about the campus — but then said he began to see the “master plan” of God. “We have purchased this campus [for] a Holy Ghost university, a university for Jesus. It’s an incredible opportunity. We are working with churches already. The excitement and the interest has been through the roof,” he said.
Zito plans to open the “world-class” campus in August 2027 as a place to preach the gospel and train others to do the same, according to the Boston Globe.
“God picked the least-churched state in America” for Z University, Zito said, adding that he believes the Third Great Awakening will begin there.
According to Zito’s website, he “partners with communities, implementing multiyear plans, and providing ongoing training and support to the local church body to see lasting and sustainable change and revival in their communities.”
Zito’s plans come as college closures continue to mount. Best Colleges reports that 49 public or private nonprofit schools or campuses have closed or announced planned closures since March 2020.
MinistryWatch has regularly reported on the closure of Christian college campuses in recent years. Read more here.
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