Raj Bhakta, the entrepreneur who purchased the defunct Green Mountain College campus in Poultney for $5 million in 2020, has launched a process to give away the property to a Catholic organization that shares his vision for spiritual revival.
Bhakta created a website and issued a request for proposals seeking a new steward for the approximately 115-acre campus, according to a press release from a New York City public relations firm associated with him. The release states he wants to transfer “select campus buildings and surrounding land” to a “Catholic organization with the vision and capability to use it for good — to serve people, purpose, and faith.”
The request targets Catholic universities, dioceses, faith-based nonprofits or religious orders as eligible applicants, according to the press release. However, it remains unclear whether Bhakta intends to give away the entire property.
“It’s a gift of opportunity — the chance to revive a campus for mission, formation, and future generations of the Catholic Church,” Bhakta said in the release.
Poultney Town Manager Paul Anderson confirmed Tuesday morning that he was aware of Bhakta’s plans.
Bhakta made his fortune founding WhistlePig Whiskey in Shoreham in 2010, but his relationship with investors deteriorated and he was forced out, eventually selling his stake in 2019. He subsequently created Bhakta Spirits, which operates from the Green Mountain College campus and offers bottles retailing for several hundred dollars, plus paid tastings and tours.
Since purchasing the campus, Bhakta has struggled to realize his ambitious development plans. In 2024, his company applied for an Act 250 permit to spend approximately $5 million redeveloping parts of the campus with nearly 100 hotel rooms, about 20 condos, a microdistillery, restaurants, and eventually a spa and fitness center. The company withdrew the application in September.
The campus currently houses multiple operations, according to application documents. Some buildings serve the spirits business, while others accommodate guests, employees and the private K-5 Green Mountain community School, run by Bhakta’s wife, Danhee.
Maintaining the property has proven costly. Application documents indicate Bhakta was spending as much as $2 million per year on upkeep. An environmental engineer’s letter included in the application states that “previous owners completely mismanaged the maintenance of the campus and it needs tens of millions of dollars in repairs in order to be brought up to code and provide useable space.”
The request for proposals, published Tuesday, warns prospective applicants about ongoing financial commitments. The property will cost at least $1 million per year to maintain if the new owner receives nonprofit, tax-exempt status, according to the document. More realistic costs reach about $1.5 million annually when including deferred maintenance.
“Eligible recipients must be able to demonstrate sufficient resources to maintain the property,” the request states. It adds that “detailed surveys, environmental reports, and building condition assessments may be made available to shortlisted Respondents.”
The campus was appraised at approximately $20 million when Bhakta purchased it in 2020. The property features Georgian architecture across about 20 buildings, including dormitories, a commercial kitchen and dining area, gymnasium, pool, and athletic fields.
The request specifies that “the Property will be transferred as-is, where-is, with a deed restriction limiting its use to causes supporting the Mission.”
Bhakta has scheduled a “town hall” and campus tour for March 12, with applications due March 31, according to the website. Bhakta did not immediately respond to requests for an interview.
