NRI millionaire-philantropist buys 'ghost' town
He bought the 'ghost' town in Canada for $5.7 million and hopes to develop it into an eco-tourist destination.
A Virginia-based Indian American philanthropist, who made a fortune selling medical devices and real estate here over 28 years after migrating from India, has bought a 'ghost' town in Canada for USD 5.7 million and hopes to develop it into an eco-tourist destination.
Krishnan Suthanthiran, 56, immediately bought the town, named Kitsault, 500 miles northwest of Vancouver in British Columbia after seeing a news story several months ago which said that it was on sale, 'The Washington Post' reported.
The town was abandoned by miners' families 22 years ago. It was built in the late 1970s by Amax of Canada Limited to reopen a mine, dormant since 1972, that produced molybdenum, a metal used to harden steel. When the price of molybdenum collapsed, it gave up.
Suthanthiran, who believes in simple living, breakfasts at McDonald's, flies economy class and asks for a doggie bag when he does not finish his meal at cheap motel restaurants, The Post said.
He told the paper that he jumped at the chance to buy Kitsault because, "one, it is beautiful up there, and two, I couldn't believe it was not being used. I said if nobody else could figure out what to do with a town, I can."
His ideas for transforming the empty town, located in a majestic setting, include making it an eco-tourist destination or an artists' colony.