Whiskey mogul sells abandoned Vermont college campus to Florida evangelist with plans to create a Christ-centered institution

It will be going from spirits to the Holy Spirit.Whiskey mogul Raj Peter Bhakta, a former “Apprentice” contestant, is selling his sprawling Vermont college campus to a holy roller out of Florida, who has plans to create what he called, “a Christ-centered institution.”He may not “know that much about building a university,” but Tommie Zito, a Florida evangelist, said he plans to convert the abandoned Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont, into a Christian college called Z University. To get the job done, the traveling preacher will pray for backup, surrounding himself with experts in higher education to do the heavy lifting.Both parties confirmed the sale to the Wall Street Journal, but Zito declined to reveal the price and said the deal has not yet closed. Bhakta, the founder of WhistlePig Whiskey, picked up the property at auction in 2020 for $4.5 million, marking a steep discount from its prior asking price, following the school’s closure amid declining enrollment. He aimed to turn it into a luxury resort before being stonewalled by local authorities.He then offered the property for free to anyone who shares his mission to reshape America.“The right beneficiary has a vision aligned with the revival of the United States and Western Civilization,” Bhakta wrote in a pitch for the property.

“They would also recognize this must first begin with the spiritual revival of our Christian faith.It will be upon coherence with this mission that candidates will be judged.” Bhakta previously estimated the 115-acre property — filled with dorms, classrooms, athletic facilities and more than 100 acres of farmland — could cost up to $200 million to fully restore in addition to the roughly $1 million in yearly operating costs and another $1.5 million needed for ongoing upkeep.Zito claimed he wants to house 850 students on the property, establishing programs in evangelism, business, government and music.“I know there’s been challenges,” Zit...