Solana-based NFT project Meatbags is launching a $1.4 million crowdfunding campaign to purchase a Cold War-era nuclear bunker in Rutland, England. The doomsday-themed digital collectible project, led by the pseudonymous team Dead Bruv, plans to sell 100,000 NFTs at $14 each to fund acquisition and renovation of the historic military installation through a decentralized governance model.

Key details:

• Meatbags will sell 100,000 NFTs at $14 each, with 10,000 reserved for existing holders via a 1:1 airdrop.

• The bunker auction is scheduled for April 24 with a guide price of £650,000 (~$862,257).

• NFT holders will join the “Billionaire Bunker Club” DAO to vote on future uses of the property.

• The 1.4-acre site features a 1960s British Royal Observer Corps bunker.

• If the auction bid fails, payment options include Solana Pay and credit cards, with a refund policy.

The #buythebunker Campaign Details

The Meatbags project has set an ambitious goal of raising $1.4 million through their NFT sale running from April 21 to April 24. Each “land deed” NFT costs $14, creating a pool of funds to cover the bunker’s purchase price, renovation costs, and ongoing operational expenses.

Existing Meatbags holders will receive special treatment, with 10,000 NFTs reserved for a 1:1 airdrop. At the same time, the remaining 90,000 tokens will be available to the public. The sale timing aligns with the bunker’s auction date of April 24.

The project includes flexible payment options through Solana Pay or credit cards. he team has committed to providing refunds within six months if their auction bid fails. Any excess funds raised beyond the purchase price will be allocated through DAO votes to fund future development.

Source: SDL Property Auctions

From Military Installation to NFT-Owned Property

The target property is no ordinary real estate acquisition. This Cold War relic is a 1.4-acre site featuring a 1960s British Royal Observer Corps bunker and a decommissioned reservoir. Built in 1960 and decommissioned in 1968, it was one of 1,500 nuclear monitoring posts across the UK designed to detect nuclear bursts and radiation during the Cold War.

A key selling point is that planning permission has already been approved for converting the facility into a luxury residence with cathedral-style ceilings and panoramic views. The structure’s 30-inch-thick concrete walls provide both historical significance and practical durability.

The property is currently listed by SDL Property Auctions with a guide price of £650,000. The auction is scheduled for April 24 – creating urgency for the crowdfunding campaign to reach its goals.

The Billionaire Bunker Club: DAO Governance Structure

Purchasers of the NFTs won’t just be funding the acquisition – they’ll have a say in what happens next. NFT holders will automatically gain membership to the “Billionaire Bunker Club,” a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) with voting rights on the bunker’s future purpose.

The community has already begun floating creative ideas for the space, including:

• A “Doomsday DJ” nightclub

• An apocalyptic-themed Airbnb rental

• A premium survivalist retreat

• A members-only resort for NFT holders

If it all comes together, this could be one of the most interesting examples of how blockchain tech can be used to own something real.

Crypto Crowdfunding Evolution

The Meatbags project follows in the footsteps of previous crypto-driven crowdfunding initiatives but with key differences.

In 2021, ConstitutionDAO raised an impressive $47 million in an unsuccessful bid to purchase a copy of the U.S. Constitution. More successfully, LinksDAO acquired a Scottish golf club in 2023.

What sets the Meatbags campaign apart is its focus on a physical infrastructure asset with pre-approved redevelopment plans, creating clearer utility for NFT holders.

A doomsday-themed Solana NFT project is looking to sell 100,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to buy a Cold War-era nuclear bunker in Rutland, England.

Dead Bruv, the creators of the narrative-driven NFT project Meatbags, plan to mint 100,000 NFTs, with Meatbags holders being airdropped 10,000. The the rest will be sold off starting April 21, starting at $14 a pop, according to a post on the Meatbags X account. 

Holders will gain entry into a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), called the Billionaire Bunker Club, a “fully decentralized, community-governed real-world asset onchain,” which will vote on what happens with the bunker if the effort to buy it is successful. 

A few ideas floated by the NFT project include a “members-only survival resort with Doomsday DJ,” a location to hold end-of-the-world festivals, or “an Airbnb with caviar tastings and canned bean room service.” 

UK online auctioneer SDL Property Auctions has the bunker Dead Bruv is hoping to buy listed for a guide price of 650,000 British pounds ($862,257), and an auction date scheduled for April 24. 

The real estate listing says the bunker is located on 1.4 acres near a former reservoir and has permission to convert into a house. 

The bunker was built in 1960 to act as a monitoring post during the Cold War and was decommissioned in 1968. It was one of 1,500 tasked with reporting any nuclear bursts and monitoring any radioactive fallout, according to SDL Property Auctions.

Cointelegraph contacted SDL Property Auctions for comment. 

Nuclear bunker buy began as a joke

Robert, the pseudonymous co-founder of Dead Bruv, said in an April 18 statement to X that the initiative was about trying to “make NFTs fun again” and was sparked by a joke that turned into a “lightbulb moment.” 

“There’s not much to compare this to, but these are the kinds of things that made me fall in love with NFTs in the first place. Taking risks. Getting creative. Pushing the boundaries of what this tech can do to create something completely new, absurd, and incredible,” he said. 

“When something comes from a place of, this is completely insane, we gotta do it, that’s when I know we’re onto something,” Robert added. 

This isn’t the first time a DOA has turned to crowdfunding to buy an expensive item. ConstitutionDAO managed to raise about $47 million in Ether (ETH) in 2021 to purchase an original copy of the United States Constitution, which was going under the hammer at auctioneer Sotheby’s. 

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Ultimately, they were unsuccessful. The winning bid was $43.2 million, and the DAO was limited to a bid of $43 million by Sotheby’s to factor in taxes and the costs required to protect, insure and move the Constitution. 

Meanwhile, LinksDAO secured the winning bid to purchase Scotland-based Spey Bay Golf Club in May 2023. The DAO claims it added the US-based Hillcrest Country Club to its holdings in February. 

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