Entrepreneur Launches $450 Million Project to Build ‘American Colossus’ Taller Than the Statue of Liberty
Ross Calvin, founder of Denver-based bitcoin-mining firm Parhelion and executive director of the American Colossus Foundation, unveiled the proposal in March 2024 to build a 450-foot statue of the Greek Titan Prometheus on Alcatraz Island. The monument would surpass the Statue of Liberty by 150 feet and cost $450 million to construct. Calvin launched a crowdfunding campaign for the project on Geyser Fund, a Bitcoin-based platform.
Calvin Envisions Transforming Alcatraz Into a Symbol of Innovation
Calvin describes the effort as “a monument to American manifest destiny” aimed at celebrating technology, entrepreneurship, and human ingenuity. The proposal includes both the massive nickel-bronze statue and a connected underground Prometheion Museum. The project would reposition Alcatraz from its history as a defunct federal prison into what Calvin envisions as a beacon of inspiration and progress, marking a significant shift in the island’s public identity.
Calvin Calls Prometheus the First Freedom Fighter
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and delivered it to humanity. In an October post on the American Colossus X account, Calvin called Prometheus “the liberator of mankind” and “the first freedom fighter.” He wrote that the Titan gave humanity the traits that allowed people to become free themselves, including an overcoming will, vision for technology, and the capacity to overcome hardship through creative and noble acts.
The Project Requires Federal Approval and Environmental Review
Construction on Alcatraz would require changing the island’s designation from national park to national monument, a process demanding federal approval and comprehensive environmental review. The island currently sits within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area under park protection. The National Park Service had not received any formal proposal for the project as of November 2025, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, meaning the regulatory process has not yet begun.
Calvin Connects the Myth to American Values of Manifest Destiny
In his October post, Calvin wrote that Prometheus, whose name means “foresight” or more precisely “prior to truth,” is characterized by the power to dynamically initiate and heroically imprint one’s internal blueprint onto the world. He stated this represents “the essence of Manifest Destiny central to the American ethos and of the Pursuit of Happiness which is the American covenant.” Calvin added that the ancients understood humanity as heroic beings possessing an overcoming will and vision for technology.
The Campaign Warns Western Civilization Is at a Crossroads
The Geyser Fund campaign warns that “the precarious fragility of the financial system threatens to precipitate a dismantling of the Western cultural values of individualism, private property, capital and the spirit of invention and industriousness.” The campaign argues that “propagandistic media, technology funnels and institutions threaten sense-making at a pace never seen before,” stating this makes it urgent to amplify the virtues of Western civilization and cast a greater vision of the West’s future.
The Monument Aims to Stand for 1,000 Years
The crowdfunding campaign calls the monument “the greatest monument to human freedom on the western shores of North America, if not the continent.” The campaign text states the statue will stand for 1,000 years as a reminder that humanity was born for beautiful achievements and great works. Calvin’s fundraising effort aims to bring what the campaign describes as “the deep fire of worthiness, creative will and overcoming to many generations.”
The Museum Would Explore the Promethean Ordeal
The Prometheion Museum, planned to be built underground and connected to the statue, would explore what Calvin calls “the lesson surrounding the Promethean Ordeal.” The museum component represents a significant portion of the overall vision, meant to provide educational context for visitors about how the ancient myth relates to contemporary innovation, entrepreneurship, and what Calvin describes as deep human purpose. The project on Alcatraz is officially titled “The Great Colossus of Prometheus.”
Calvin Plans to Present Renderings to Trump’s Team
Calvin said he hopes to present renderings to President Donald Trump’s team early next year. However, this could prove complicated, as Trump has announced intentions to convert Alcatraz back into a high-security federal prison to house violent criminals and individuals he considers illegal immigrants, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Federal engineers and site assessors are currently evaluating this alternative proposal, presenting another potential obstacle for the statue project.
No Physical Progress Has Been Reported on the Ambitious Vision
Since the campaign’s March 2024 launch, only one contributor has pledged to the effort, donating a total of $5 according to the foundation’s page on Geyser Fund. No physical progress on the statue has been reported, with the project existing only as digital renderings posted on X. Whether the American Colossus will advance beyond the planning phase depends on both public enthusiasm and the resolution of significant regulatory and political challenges facing the ambitious proposal.