Check out their channel, Ghost Town Living. Recently, they lost the American Hotel, but have plans to rebuild. Brent lives there full time. The channel is fairly new but the content is great.
I doubt his channel is real tho, the burnt hotel feels like an insurance fraud and there is so much more details about his story that make me doubt. After all it's a million $ worth business
@@slumm6841 nothing anywhere has been mentioned about insurance. Something tells me that with how old and unsafe the entire property is, it probably was uninsurable or uncovered in this circumstance. But idk. I like to be optimistic, I looked up the guy and he seems to do good business. Besides, his heartbreak over the loss seemed pretty genuine. But you could be right.
@@slumm6841 Yep, I found it a little fishy. They just hooked it up to power without checking for damage from age/animals chewing on wires? Had it been me, I would have just replaced the old wiring because I don't trust it because who knows how old it was and what standard it was built to. He also has a video about a ghost encounter that I found a little odd.
I'm sure the insurance payout wasn't heartbreaking. They tried to make it a resort and failed, they tried to make a TH-cam channel and still couldn't get ROI, so something had to go.
@@ParadigmUnkn0wn So dumb if you think this. That hotel alone was like 80% of reason to have anything to do in this town. This obviosuly isn't a project for major profit, but done out of passion. No city boy would spend so much time and effort, as well risking his life in the mines if it wasn't for more than just money.
Brent is a special man, and his focus and his vision for that place, is a passion few ever touch in their lifetimes. He's not in it to flip it and make a few bucks, he cares to preserve an important part of history, he deserves a lot of praise and recognition for that. Keep going buddy, the New American Hotel is next!
I find it absurd how many arm chair arson investigators think the hotel was torched intentionally, considering its extremely lucky the whole town didn't go up in flames. I commend these folks for trying to preserve a bit of California history. So what if it's a business venture, everyone gotta make a living.
Agreed, I think it's stupid that people think the hotel was intentionally set on fire. As Brent said in the video about the American Hotel burning down, the wiring was old and dodgy, not up to current standards, so I really don't see how people decide to shout arson. It's like, you really think someone would travel all the way out there, just to burn a building down? 🤷🏼♂️
@@ljphoenix4341 Apart from that, the hotel was by far the towns biggest asset, if we're talking about making money. they're nver gonna be able to replace that thing for what it was, with all the history behind it, and every bit of history that was lost with it. they'd have to be imbeciles to burn that thing down for insurance money; while it was likely uninsurable due to age and what not anyway.
I actually came to this video from Brent's channel Ghost Town Living! His videos are so cool and I love seeing how much he has done even since this video came out!
I like how some people who are caught up on the journey are SO SURE he’s a fraud or at the very least taking advantage of turning this town into a tourist trap. The American Hotel fire was both tragic and suspicious, but I prefer to be optimistic. I don’t mind “gentrifying” or creating another tourist destination in the desert. All the adventurers out there would appreciate new places to visit and Cerro Gordo does genuinely have interesting history. I’ll continue to watch this guy breathe life back into this ghost town until one of these naysayers actually show up with evidence that it’s actually BS.
I mean it would fall down or burn down (rip American Hotel) if it was just left, so I agree - the more he can preserve for the future, whatever way that is, is good. Plus, he seems such a history buff on his channel that I doubt he'd be disrespectful with it.
What would be the gain of purposely burning down the cooles building of the town? Clearly an original building would bring way more value than a rebuild version.
Also you can tell he enjoys what he's does if you watch him on his channel. He also seems like he cares about the history there. He seems genuine at least i like to believe so.
That’s what happens when you let an investment banker like Brent to fiddle with electricity in a 150 year old hotel. Hope he doesn’t burn down more houses
The property is fascinating. I've explored the area over the years, especially when I had a cabin in Apple Valley. However, turning this into a tourist attraction would cost mega bucks. So many things they don't seem to pay attention to old dynamite storage - that stuff has to be unstable by now and should be professionally removed and destroyed. Electric in the buildings, condition of the buildings, etc are all leading to another potential fire and loss of contents. Should have been approached as an archeological project, mapped, inventoried, and made safe before opening to the public. All the electric wiring should be removed and redone before being used. I helped my brother-in-law with restoration of an old ranch house in Colorado. Crumpled newspaper for insulation in the walls, bare wires with ceramic insulators for lighting, so many hazards. Do they have an actual business plan? How about insurance? Seems to be poorly managed and the videos, while entertaining, are about one man's struggle, rather than a team effort. Safety? Responsible management? Seems more like an underfunded and fly by night fantasy. Rebuilding the hotel is silly, it isn't the same building, plus loss of all the original furniture and accessories, and the rest of the town is still a fire trap. Seems to be going about it like a game rather than a real attempt as a business. Liability insurance with workers and guests on the property> The list is endless and seems very "California dreamin" I wish them luck, but I wouldn't invest in it.
What do you mean? It isnt even open for public, people just come up to help or to have a look around, its not like they already have some sort of bussines they offer up there. Also as of far that I understand the bussiness side on the news channels covering this is a misstatement. They bought the property because they shared a dream, not because they want to make a lot of bank. They just eventually want to provide somen kind of bussinesses in town to collect funds for the upkeep and restoration.
They spent a million to own it and plan on spending another million to open it up, they didn't tend to make a business out of it rather a place a land to live the remaining of his life on? The side money is just to help restore the place historically. He knows he could have easily made money of land much cheaper much more easily but thats not what his dream was? I swear people act like somone who spent millions on desert land in the middle of nowhere doesn't know everything you just mentioned and than some?
@@HUNGRYHUSKY Clearly he did NOT know these things, or the hotel would not have burned down. After further research I'm even more skeptical of his claims, and I think this is a business venture plain and simple. He is a marketing guy with a successful hostel business, and this is his next project. That's all fine, I just think he could be more transparent/less deceptive. His questionable emotional reaction/editing on the video with the hotel burning down (plus immediately asking for donations) caused many alarms to go off in me. I guess we'll all find out in 5-10 years or so if he is still living there/improving the land (he claimed it's for life, a passion project) or if he has moved on by then.
Not the original plans but the floor plans of a planned renovation from some years ago. Still, i would defo back this if i was more financially stable and lived in the US! Wish them all the best!
It's going to take a huge investment to make it livable, much less profitable. It's in the middle of nowhere. The road going up the mountain to reach it is no easy trip. The loss of the hotel, which was the jewel of the buildings with real charm, will be difficult to recover from. But, I wish them luck.
I can't wait to stay at that American Hotel, playing some tunes on the piano and having a cold one at the bar. I'd pay like . . . . . . a million dollars for the experience!
@Leif E. Greenz He gains nothing from it's loss... I doubt there is insurance on condemned buildings, and it made his town 10x less attractive losing it.
I love that he was on the news!!!! Woohoo!!! Love ya Brent!!! Keep at it! It is certainly going to be worth it! Ugh! Crying happy tears for you again! Sorry, I'm behind. Lol!
I heard you were interested in content. There is a couple of things I thought of. The water situation. There is probably water at the bottom of the main mineshaft. You will have to pump it up of course. Alas, you will need a place to put it. A small reservoir. Perhaps setup in one of the unused buildings so as not to change the look of the place too much. Using your "well" for storage has lots of drawbacks. Better to take your time pumping it up and store it for use later. You had a fire. Sorry to hear that. You know, you can buy an old fire truck for a couple of thousand dollars. Most of them never wear out. It goes well with the idea of storing water too. I am curious about that old truck parked in the middle of the compound. Is there any story about it? Is it a viable candidate for resurrection?
Calico at one time was owned by Walter Knott of Knott's Berry Farm fame. He used a few of the original buildings from Calico at Knott's, but rebuilt them and others at Calico. He deeded the property to San Bernardino County as a park.
If the group of investors, who bought Cerro Gordo site which contained The American Hotel, knew how to restore turn of the century buildings The American Hotel would not have burned. Any turn of the century structure you are going to remodel, restore, add-to, the first thing you do is shut the existing power supply off, you establish a power pole from the closest power supply and use extension cords or cordless tools to prevent exactly what happened here. Fire investigation officials reported they were using existing electrical power that was not up-to code and in fact was poorly wired and they did not have building permits or state building inspections.
LOL the water pump will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace!!! Just watched a video where they fixed it with 500ft of new pipe and a new pump that’s small enough for one guy to carry, probably closes to hundreds of dollars to fix
They were probably talking about a large water system for constant water. You're probably talking about a hand pump well (which can still be pricey depending on the type of land).
just seen his youtube channel he got i dk 6 or so episodes up of buying it and to current. But i didnt understand what or how he done or bought it and why. i asssumed was for tourists in time. but didnt know. this helped fill in many of the gaps. i kinda feel if he gonna do a youtube channel he should be more direct lols.
So how we doing Brent I hope everything's going good with you God bless you and keep up the great work man you're lucky I'm going to be up there and help you out with that hotel I am not finish your bike ride
apparantly there is a ghost that has been spotted in the grey bunk house by the guy in the video. At first it was mistaken for a contractor until he was told they left weeks earlier. apparantly the light switched on after the building was padlocked shut. the night before(?) curtains opened and closed and a head peered out of the window.
@@chemicalmike646 no man ..I've heard spirits cling to where they have suffered or enjoyed the most know people went broke their and suffered so there has to be some sort of energy lingering still..
@@dopefpv389 thats what he claimed in one of his videos. as far a ghosts clinging into places of joy or sadness, from my experiences,(i have seen ghosts,i dont need others to believe me btw) thats not strictly the case. we are beings of energy and energy is not tied strictly to any one given place.
@@dopefpv389 - You've got to stop smoking all that dope that your username suggests. That grifter is making up BS children's tales to try to scam folks out of money. You're *clearly* his best customer. Nice and dumb and gullible.
Mines. They're not caves. Caves have been holes in the ground for millions of years. Mines in the US west are less than 150 years old. Their rocks and passages are still moving. I know cavers who would NEVER set foot in a mine.
All-in-all, I see these folks as totally unprepared for this undertaking. The monetary investment to bring the town into an operational enterprise looks to me like around 5 million, not counting the original purchase price. The current state of repair, given the condition of the dwellings along with the electrical and water services just don’t warrant $500.00 per person for a two night stay all inclusive. The time to get there, cost to get there for what you will see when you finally do get there, just doesn’t warrant to end expenditures. Nice idea, and perhaps worth the right amount of work and subsequent money input, could be a cool destination.
I used to think the same thing too. You're not their demographic. Having worked in tourism and knowing the costs of remote adventures in places like Alaska that are only accessible by boat or floatplane, people will pay even more for these types of "adventures" despite no running water, no heat, and outhouses. I will agree that they definitely seemed unprepared for this undertaking. I've heard stories about that here in Alaska where someone from CA or NYC finds a lodging resort for a "steal" at $1-2 million, but don't realize everything has to be flown in and all good and registered contractors are busy in the summer for years out.
Sad to say but that guy will be bankrupt by 2022. It would take millions of dollars to get that place up and running as tourist attraction. This reminds me of that other youtuber that spent a million dollars on a dilapidated race track in florida.
@@kuyadarofficial2299 That hotel was like the only nice thing about that town. It'll never recover from it, regardless of how much extra attention it gets.
I've been watching Ghost Town Living for a few weeks. It's a little disappointing to see that this is really just a high-end business, more than a love of history. I mean, Brent loves history, but they are clearly going to price this out of reach of the common man/woman and are looking to cater to the rich. That's too bad.
I do not understand it anymore , Brent say in his first video on his channel ( which I love ) this : " My name is Brent and with my friend Jon, I purchased the former mining town of “Cerro Gordo” this past July 13th (Friday the 13th). Since the Coronavirus outbreak, I've moved from Austin, Texas up to the town and I'm living alone in this abandoned ghost town trying to make it into a place for more people to enjoy. " And in this video they tell he bought it in 2018 ( this video is from 2019 ), it does not fit together ...... I was very surprised to see this video and all about it........
He's framing the whole thing is a very scummy angle, he's using his youtube video as a low budget tourism ad for his hotel. The more I watched his videos the more I couldn't ignore all the red flags. He's not lying he's just not being honest which is just as bad. In his first few videos he also implies that he just moved there yet he slips up and mentions that the workers were also there when he thought he saw a ghost but then they were gone for 2 weeks. Yet you never see another else but him in his videos. Also in his latest videos he should be well under way with rebuilding the hotel yet you never see anyone else or see or hear construction vehicles in the background. I get that him showing workers in the background wouldn't really sell people on the wild west vibes but it's still scummy.
@@mattbabb921 , yeah, the part where he mention the workers left two weeks ago, I was thinking, why would another person knew and not you? You live there, you would notice activity , noises and traffic coming and going with supplies. I think he is creating dramas for TH-cam, it is entertaining to watch. He got big names as investors, he is also getting TH-cam audience to give him money and free labour, Talented marketing person.
74% of Americans say they value experiences over products/things? Lol! That's the biggest lie I've heard. All I see Americans is shopping for clothing 'products and things' like their lives depend on it.
@@Turin-Fett exactly. another anecdote, but if Services/Experiences didnt make money then horseback riding trails, waterparks, camping resorts, sixflags, ziplinning industries wouldn't exist. a product you buy to use for an intended task and once it has met its goal it is often forgot about. experiences sell cause they hold value as you age.
I just saw a video of the American Hotel burnt down, in Cerro Gordo. Now I can't even find the video anymore. He was asking for donations, and I donated. Now I wonder if it;s for real?
The video is still up. Go to Ghost Town Living. He has also posted a couple of other videos since the American Hotel burned down. I think this is a totally legit project, but it’s a struggle and it’s going to take years for it to really get off the ground.
Pilgrim Peace mentioned link, and Braylee Parkinson mentioned Ghost Town Living. Here is the link to Ghost Town Living: th-cam.com/channels/EjBDKfrqQI4TgzT9YLNT8g.html I just discovered his channel this week, only to see THIS video from CNBC minutes ago. Ghost Town Living is the channel of the guy being interviewed in CNBC's video. Pilgrim and Braylee are right.
Look at all the naysayers and doubters projecting their own inability to diverge from a cookie-cutter life. Sad and cynical existence it must be to assume the worst intentions in another human.
Aw no, I’ve watched every one of his videos in the last 7 days and am completely obsessed with his way of living. I thought he used every penny he ever made saving for his dream of off grid living, to raise a family and generations to come and refurbish the town. To find out it’s an investment property, probably being pushed by the TH-cam algorithm. Kinda feel robbed, the whole cave diving through mines for denim now kinda seems like a bit of an act.. 😔
He mentioned the investors multiple times in his earlier videos, he never tried to cover it up. He also mentioned all the amenities he had in mind for Cerro Gordo guests. He wants to restore the town for generations to come AND wants to make money from it. He was always up front about all of that from the outset.
Of course. Who spends 1.4M without a business plan with Netflix and Spotify as investors? He is fake. Also has a crew doing all the construction stuff. Fixing two houses, miners cabin and Lolas place, for 3 months milking it all the way lol. Sure, he puts a board or two here and there.
@@yaykruser I think that Airbnb was one of the investors and that's not a small company. If you go back on the video and review the total investors you will find that getting 1.4 million is not that difficult.
@@allefley4628 Even if he had ads on, he would have made roughly $11,000 as of right now... That's like a drop in the bucket for the level of money he's spent. Now Patreon on the other hand, maybe $4k a month, which does fall in line with the estimated costs since it's just him there living on the land to my knowledge. Definitely does not make money off the town. No visitors spending big cash, since all the buildings are pretty much condemned, or close to it.
So his youtube channel is just a fake marketing ploy? lol He presents himself there as a lone adventurer from a poor family that likes solitude, yet here you see it's a business, he has a team, was an investment banker, spent $1.4 million for this bunch of sheds in the middle of nowhere, and has a full comfort including a satellite internet connection. What a crook.
I believe his outlook on this has really changed. From research I've done and from watching the videos he makes on youtube, it really seems like spending the past like 7-8months up there has put things into a new perspective. Originally he went into this as a fun business venture, but I think has really grown to genuinely care about the town and its history. Even just seeing this video from a year before he moved up there I see a shift. He's said that he will be there until he dies and has definitely began to take a different approach on life. I know that might just be how I see it, but as an actor and someone with a communication degree (in school studied marketing and all the things that he's done for work) I've made the informed decision that I believe that the content he puts out now is authentic
@@maggielovestoads I agree he has changed a bit. Regardless, I think he is one of the best storytellers on youtube right now. I feel his content is genuine so thats all that really matters.
@@scottthompson2785 Exactly! thank you. He's just a guy sharing something he's become passionate about, no clickbaiting or over the top editing, just a guy with his cats and goats and ghost town lolol
@@maggielovestoads Well said! I was skeptical after viewing all these “other” videos, after growing increasingly intrigued by his lifestyle and philosophy. Thanks for your opinion. I saw his outlook changed too and like how you can back that up as an actor and marketer. I guess we are all so jaded nowadays. I’m a realist, but it’s so refreshing to be take a leap of faith in this TH-cam personality. It’s hard to find genuine humans evolving on screen.
Thats disgusting that CNBC put this vid on I'm very disappointed however that got on CNBC please know who you have doing your vids and choose moral and honest entity.
@@Optitius I think OP doesn’t trust CNBC as a news source and is cautioning the Cerro Gordo owner from letting them release a video about the property. To them it’s like letting a Russian propaganda TV network promote your business. Stupid, but pretty sure that’s their logic.
Check out their channel, Ghost Town Living. Recently, they lost the American Hotel, but have plans to rebuild. Brent lives there full time. The channel is fairly new but the content is great.
It's all BS.
@@MrOuchiez what do you mean?
I doubt his channel is real tho, the burnt hotel feels like an insurance fraud and there is so much more details about his story that make me doubt. After all it's a million $ worth business
@@slumm6841 nothing anywhere has been mentioned about insurance. Something tells me that with how old and unsafe the entire property is, it probably was uninsurable or uncovered in this circumstance. But idk. I like to be optimistic, I looked up the guy and he seems to do good business. Besides, his heartbreak over the loss seemed pretty genuine. But you could be right.
@@slumm6841 Yep, I found it a little fishy. They just hooked it up to power without checking for damage from age/animals chewing on wires? Had it been me, I would have just replaced the old wiring because I don't trust it because who knows how old it was and what standard it was built to. He also has a video about a ghost encounter that I found a little odd.
Who else knew it was Cerro Gordo from the the thumbnail? I love GhostTownLiving!
That’s why we’re here! And Will... stfu.
That was heartbreaking loosing the American hotel everything was gone that hotel was priceless .
I'm sure the insurance payout wasn't heartbreaking. They tried to make it a resort and failed, they tried to make a TH-cam channel and still couldn't get ROI, so something had to go.
@@ParadigmUnkn0wn You work with them?
@@ParadigmUnkn0wn So dumb if you think this. That hotel alone was like 80% of reason to have anything to do in this town. This obviosuly isn't a project for major profit, but done out of passion. No city boy would spend so much time and effort, as well risking his life in the mines if it wasn't for more than just money.
The American hotel video made me cry
@@ParadigmUnkn0wn bro you should check out the video he made after the hotel burned down
Brent is a special man, and his focus and his vision for that place, is a passion few ever touch in their lifetimes. He's not in it to flip it and make a few bucks, he cares to preserve an important part of history, he deserves a lot of praise and recognition for that. Keep going buddy, the New American Hotel is next!
I find it absurd how many arm chair arson investigators think the hotel was torched intentionally, considering its extremely lucky the whole town didn't go up in flames. I commend these folks for trying to preserve a bit of California history. So what if it's a business venture, everyone gotta make a living.
Agreed, I think it's stupid that people think the hotel was intentionally set on fire. As Brent said in the video about the American Hotel burning down, the wiring was old and dodgy, not up to current standards, so I really don't see how people decide to shout arson. It's like, you really think someone would travel all the way out there, just to burn a building down? 🤷🏼♂️
That is how this works! Did you see the hunter pron videos?
Right haha the dude spent millions to buy this place. Plenty of other ways he could invested that money
@@ljphoenix4341 I don't see much difference between throwing a molotov in the hotel, and hooking electricity up to such old wiring.
@@ljphoenix4341 Apart from that, the hotel was by far the towns biggest asset, if we're talking about making money. they're nver gonna be able to replace that thing for what it was, with all the history behind it, and every bit of history that was lost with it. they'd have to be imbeciles to burn that thing down for insurance money; while it was likely uninsurable due to age and what not anyway.
Ghost town living is one of my absolute favorite TH-cam channels the production quality is very impressive for what he has and his experience
His TH-cam channel is phenomenal.
I actually came to this video from Brent's channel Ghost Town Living! His videos are so cool and I love seeing how much he has done even since this video came out!
BRENT, SUCH A AN AMAZING PERSON, GHOSTTOWNLIVING
6:45 family-friendly shootouts is the most american thing i've heard
This is one of the best interviews I’ve seen put together on the Brent and Cerro Gordo. It’s interesting to go back and see how it all began
Goddamn tragedy about that saloon. It was the centerpiece of the town, and the only building that doesn't look condemned inside.
I like how some people who are caught up on the journey are SO SURE he’s a fraud or at the very least taking advantage of turning this town into a tourist trap. The American Hotel fire was both tragic and suspicious, but I prefer to be optimistic. I don’t mind “gentrifying” or creating another tourist destination in the desert. All the adventurers out there would appreciate new places to visit and Cerro Gordo does genuinely have interesting history. I’ll continue to watch this guy breathe life back into this ghost town until one of these naysayers actually show up with evidence that it’s actually BS.
I mean it would fall down or burn down (rip American Hotel) if it was just left, so I agree - the more he can preserve for the future, whatever way that is, is good. Plus, he seems such a history buff on his channel that I doubt he'd be disrespectful with it.
What would be the gain of purposely burning down the cooles building of the town? Clearly an original building would bring way more value than a rebuild version.
Also you can tell he enjoys what he's does if you watch him on his channel. He also seems like he cares about the history there. He seems genuine at least i like to believe so.
@@MrBaskevin So he could build a skatepark on top.
Im so sad the American Hotel burned down
That’s what happens when you let an investment banker like Brent to fiddle with electricity in a 150 year old hotel. Hope he doesn’t burn down more houses
The property is fascinating. I've explored the area over the years, especially when I had a cabin in Apple Valley. However, turning this into a tourist attraction would cost mega bucks. So many things they don't seem to pay attention to old dynamite storage - that stuff has to be unstable by now and should be professionally removed and destroyed. Electric in the buildings, condition of the buildings, etc are all leading to another potential fire and loss of contents. Should have been approached as an archeological project, mapped, inventoried, and made safe before opening to the public. All the electric wiring should be removed and redone before being used. I helped my brother-in-law with restoration of an old ranch house in Colorado. Crumpled newspaper for insulation in the walls, bare wires with ceramic insulators for lighting, so many hazards. Do they have an actual business plan? How about insurance? Seems to be poorly managed and the videos, while entertaining, are about one man's struggle, rather than a team effort. Safety? Responsible management? Seems more like an underfunded and fly by night fantasy. Rebuilding the hotel is silly, it isn't the same building, plus loss of all the original furniture and accessories, and the rest of the town is still a fire trap. Seems to be going about it like a game rather than a real attempt as a business. Liability insurance with workers and guests on the property> The list is endless and seems very "California dreamin" I wish them luck, but I wouldn't invest in it.
The fact they didn't replace ALL wiring immediately is what points to either sheer ignorance or insurance fraud.. What a sad waste of that hotel :'(
@@FreakMeat74 the hotel has been used by the previous owner. No fraud here.
What do you mean? It isnt even open for public, people just come up to help or to have a look around, its not like they already have some sort of bussines they offer up there. Also as of far that I understand the bussiness side on the news channels covering this is a misstatement. They bought the property because they shared a dream, not because they want to make a lot of bank. They just eventually want to provide somen kind of bussinesses in town to collect funds for the upkeep and restoration.
They spent a million to own it and plan on spending another million to open it up, they didn't tend to make a business out of it rather a place a land to live the remaining of his life on? The side money is just to help restore the place historically. He knows he could have easily made money of land much cheaper much more easily but thats not what his dream was? I swear people act like somone who spent millions on desert land in the middle of nowhere doesn't know everything you just mentioned and than some?
@@HUNGRYHUSKY Clearly he did NOT know these things, or the hotel would not have burned down. After further research I'm even more skeptical of his claims, and I think this is a business venture plain and simple. He is a marketing guy with a successful hostel business, and this is his next project. That's all fine, I just think he could be more transparent/less deceptive. His questionable emotional reaction/editing on the video with the hotel burning down (plus immediately asking for donations) caused many alarms to go off in me. I guess we'll all find out in 5-10 years or so if he is still living there/improving the land (he claimed it's for life, a passion project) or if he has moved on by then.
You can donate towards the re-build of the Hotel. They have the original plans which is amazing !
Not the original plans but the floor plans of a planned renovation from some years ago. Still, i would defo back this if i was more financially stable and lived in the US! Wish them all the best!
@@TheUglyFish I don't live in the US but still donated a small amount. Hopefully everything will turn out just fine 👍
I dont think so. Not with Netflix and Spotify as investors lol. He hid the number of patreons too, so... NO.
It's going to take a huge investment to make it livable, much less profitable. It's in the middle of nowhere. The road going up the mountain to reach it is no easy trip. The loss of the hotel, which was the jewel of the buildings with real charm, will be difficult to recover from. But, I wish them luck.
Brent, I would be looking for meteorites and Dinosaur bones. I’m not joking. Love watching your adventures.
Let me guess the one UFC fighter to invest was Donald “cowboy” cerrone
You're hero.
I admire your courage in do the amazing job to preserve history.
God bless you in your mission..
this makes me so sad that the hotel burnt down
This is called living the dream folks !!!
So sad how pandemic is affecting places like this....
They have a TH-cam channel called Ghost Town Living! Check it out, the videos are very well done and there's a lot of heart in these guys.
Waiting for the next Ghost Town Living episode is comparable to what it was like with Breaking Bad, adjusted for inflation 😂
I can't wait to stay at that American Hotel, playing some tunes on the piano and having a cold one at the bar. I'd pay like . . . . . . a million dollars for the experience!
@Leif E. Greenz he didn't burn it down lmao
@Leif E. Greenz He gains nothing from it's loss... I doubt there is insurance on condemned buildings, and it made his town 10x less attractive losing it.
@Leif E. Greenz well, ya sure are crazy for saying such a thing.
I love that he was on the news!!!! Woohoo!!! Love ya Brent!!! Keep at it! It is certainly going to be worth it! Ugh! Crying happy tears for you again! Sorry, I'm behind. Lol!
This man knows what he is doing
I heard you were interested in content. There is a couple of things I thought of. The water situation. There is probably water at the bottom of the main mineshaft. You will have to pump it up of course. Alas, you will need a place to put it. A small reservoir. Perhaps setup in one of the unused buildings so as not to change the look of the place too much. Using your "well" for storage has lots of drawbacks. Better to take your time pumping it up and store it for use later.
You had a fire. Sorry to hear that. You know, you can buy an old fire truck for a couple of thousand dollars. Most of them never wear out. It goes well with the idea of storing water too.
I am curious about that old truck parked in the middle of the compound. Is there any story about it? Is it a viable candidate for resurrection?
th-cam.com/video/RWzj8HlMGLE/w-d-xo.html
Calico at one time was owned by Walter Knott of Knott's Berry Farm fame. He used a few of the original buildings from Calico at Knott's, but rebuilt them and others at Calico. He deeded the property to San Bernardino County as a park.
I heard all of the buildings went to Knott’s.
Brent is the absolute best
Keep going Brent one day I'll make it
If the group of investors, who bought Cerro Gordo site which contained The American Hotel, knew how to restore turn of the century buildings The American Hotel would not have burned. Any turn of the century structure you are going to remodel, restore, add-to, the first thing you do is shut the existing power supply off, you establish a power pole from the closest power supply and use extension cords or cordless tools to prevent exactly what happened here. Fire investigation officials reported they were using existing electrical power that was not up-to code and in fact was poorly wired and they did not have building permits or state building inspections.
OH man, my old stomping grounds. MISS IT.
LOL the water pump will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace!!! Just watched a video where they fixed it with 500ft of new pipe and a new pump that’s small enough for one guy to carry, probably closes to hundreds of dollars to fix
They were probably talking about a large water system for constant water. You're probably talking about a hand pump well (which can still be pricey depending on the type of land).
Could they have chosen a worse narrator? Jesus Christ, falling asleep from his droning voice.
@Will Wallace i'm having you put away for arson because that was a burn with malicious intent
would love to go there i have been watching tfil and the town looks amazing
just seen his youtube channel he got i dk 6 or so episodes up of buying it and to current. But i didnt understand what or how he done or bought it and why. i asssumed was for tourists in time. but didnt know. this helped fill in many of the gaps. i kinda feel if he gonna do a youtube channel he should be more direct lols.
He literally explained that in at least four of his videos.
Saying stereotypes and showing a mannequin that looks exactly like Brent Underwood at 6:36. 😂
5:28 " such a low price"
- More than a life salary
@@poster2247 that dessert must be delicious
0:30 damn rip, not anymore
So how we doing Brent I hope everything's going good with you God bless you and keep up the great work man you're lucky I'm going to be up there and help you out with that hotel I am not finish your bike ride
Say there's a ghost and do paranormal stuff see how people flock there
apparantly there is a ghost that has been spotted in the grey bunk house by the guy in the video. At first it was mistaken for a contractor until he was told they left weeks earlier. apparantly the light switched on after the building was padlocked shut. the night before(?) curtains opened and closed and a head peered out of the window.
@@chemicalmike646 no man ..I've heard spirits cling to where they have suffered or enjoyed the most know people went broke their and suffered so there has to be some sort of energy lingering still..
@@dopefpv389 thats what he claimed in one of his videos. as far a ghosts clinging into places of joy or sadness, from my experiences,(i have seen ghosts,i dont need others to believe me btw) thats not strictly the case. we are beings of energy and energy is not tied strictly to any one given place.
@@dopefpv389 - You've got to stop smoking all that dope that your username suggests. That grifter is making up BS children's tales to try to scam folks out of money. You're *clearly* his best customer. Nice and dumb and gullible.
My son has been in that bunkhouse, spent some days in town. He confirms it is haunted!
How are things out there with the COVID restrictions? Love ghost towns, Rhyolite is nice to visit as well. Sorry to read about the saloon. :-(
So he hasn't opened it yet, still planning on renovating it a bit more. Check out his channel ghost town living. Its pretty cool
This will be good with hotel, museum, guided cave tour, shooting range
Mines. They're not caves. Caves have been holes in the ground for millions of years. Mines in the US west are less than 150 years old. Their rocks and passages are still moving. I know cavers who would NEVER set foot in a mine.
Love your content
All-in-all, I see these folks as totally unprepared for this undertaking. The monetary investment to bring the town into an operational enterprise looks to me like around 5 million, not counting the original purchase price. The current state of repair, given the condition of the dwellings along with the electrical and water services just don’t warrant $500.00 per person for a two night stay all inclusive. The time to get there, cost to get there for what you will see when you finally do get there, just doesn’t warrant to end expenditures. Nice idea, and perhaps worth the right amount of work and subsequent money input, could be a cool destination.
I used to think the same thing too. You're not their demographic. Having worked in tourism and knowing the costs of remote adventures in places like Alaska that are only accessible by boat or floatplane, people will pay even more for these types of "adventures" despite no running water, no heat, and outhouses.
I will agree that they definitely seemed unprepared for this undertaking. I've heard stories about that here in Alaska where someone from CA or NYC finds a lodging resort for a "steal" at $1-2 million, but don't realize everything has to be flown in and all good and registered contractors are busy in the summer for years out.
wow this showcase is so much better than that crappy 3 minute today show one
Follow his youtube channel its awesome! He makes content all the time showing his exploration of mines.
If only I could own a 300 acre ghost town.
Just a small loan of a million dollars will just about do it.
so much potential. make it different. no theme parks.
Thank you
Sad to say but that guy will be bankrupt by 2022. It would take millions of dollars to get that place up and running as tourist attraction. This reminds me of that other youtuber that spent a million dollars on a dilapidated race track in florida.
Different idea though.
That other dude that bought the race track has definitely got the funding to complete that project though.
He uses other TH-camrs like Sam and Colby to promote his ghost town, and he's getting more attention when the American hotel burnt down
@@kuyadarofficial2299 That hotel was like the only nice thing about that town. It'll never recover from it, regardless of how much extra attention it gets.
RIP American Hotel :( 🇺🇸 🏨
Sad the hotel burned down. :(
Olancha, home of Crystal Geyser (CG Roxane).
Sad that all I can focus in this video is the American Hotel still being there
I've been watching Ghost Town Living for a few weeks. It's a little disappointing to see that this is really just a high-end business, more than a love of history. I mean, Brent loves history, but they are clearly going to price this out of reach of the common man/woman and are looking to cater to the rich.
That's too bad.
Yes. Very disappointing. But when I saw that he hid the number of patreons, I kinda suspected the plot.
I do not understand it anymore , Brent say in his first video on his channel ( which I love ) this : " My name is Brent and with my friend Jon, I purchased the former mining town of “Cerro Gordo” this past July 13th (Friday the 13th). Since the Coronavirus outbreak, I've moved from Austin, Texas up to the town and I'm living alone in this abandoned ghost town trying to make it into a place for more people to enjoy. "
And in this video they tell he bought it in 2018 ( this video is from 2019 ), it does not fit together ......
I was very surprised to see this video and all about it........
He's framing the whole thing is a very scummy angle, he's using his youtube video as a low budget tourism ad for his hotel. The more I watched his videos the more I couldn't ignore all the red flags. He's not lying he's just not being honest which is just as bad. In his first few videos he also implies that he just moved there yet he slips up and mentions that the workers were also there when he thought he saw a ghost but then they were gone for 2 weeks. Yet you never see another else but him in his videos. Also in his latest videos he should be well under way with rebuilding the hotel yet you never see anyone else or see or hear construction vehicles in the background. I get that him showing workers in the background wouldn't really sell people on the wild west vibes but it's still scummy.
@@mattbabb921 , yeah, the part where he mention the workers left two weeks ago, I was thinking, why would another person knew and not you? You live there, you would notice activity , noises and traffic coming and going with supplies. I think he is creating dramas for TH-cam, it is entertaining to watch. He got big names as investors, he is also getting TH-cam audience to give him money and free labour, Talented marketing person.
if this man would let me explore that town for ghost i would so do so in a heart beat.
Go ahead and search for unicorns and leprechauns while you're at it
@@kevincloar2443 will do and i'll also look for dracual/bigfoot/the wolfman/ and nessy just for you pal LOL ;)
74% of Americans say they value experiences over products/things? Lol! That's the biggest lie I've heard. All I see Americans is shopping for clothing 'products and things' like their lives depend on it.
I guess there is a difference between saying and doing 🤔
Ah yes. Your anecdotes certainly outweigh even the poorest survey. You should go into marketing.
@@Turin-Fett exactly. another anecdote, but if Services/Experiences didnt make money then horseback riding trails, waterparks, camping resorts, sixflags, ziplinning industries wouldn't exist. a product you buy to use for an intended task and once it has met its goal it is often forgot about. experiences sell cause they hold value as you age.
Hotel is no more!!🔥💥🔥😱
RIP American Motel
1st ya gotta get the ghosts under control. And 2nd ya cant be that alone with a camera crew
Low price? Way to much unless they discover more silver.
I just saw a video of the American Hotel burnt down, in Cerro Gordo. Now I can't even find the video anymore. He was asking for donations, and I donated. Now I wonder if it;s for real?
Bart Bell the video is still up. I will try to find the link for you.
The video is still up. Go to Ghost Town Living. He has also posted a couple of other videos since the American Hotel burned down. I think this is a totally legit project, but it’s a struggle and it’s going to take years for it to really get off the ground.
Pilgrim Peace mentioned link, and Braylee Parkinson mentioned Ghost Town Living. Here is the link to Ghost Town Living: th-cam.com/channels/EjBDKfrqQI4TgzT9YLNT8g.html
I just discovered his channel this week, only to see THIS video from CNBC minutes ago.
Ghost Town Living is the channel of the guy being interviewed in CNBC's video. Pilgrim and Braylee are right.
@@pilgrimpeace7763 Thanks! I should have done more looking.
@@jasongates- Sorry. I didn't mean to be negative. I hope he can rebuild. What a challenge. And now in the fire season, too.
Rip hotel
the hotel burnt down
Faulty wiring . something that was making heat wasn't properly insulated.
@@JayAR_YT you'd think he'd have that wiring checked out first before turning the heat on
Deke1 he didn’t turn the heat on, the wire got hot and eventually cause a short
brent its a crazy guy in a good way.... check this youtube channel .... Ghost Town Living
Look at all the naysayers and doubters projecting their own inability to diverge from a cookie-cutter life. Sad and cynical existence it must be to assume the worst intentions in another human.
Unless he starts mining more silver this is just a money pit.
RIP American Hotel
And now the hotel burned down.
interesting.
Hey Brent!
and its haunted
RIP american hotel... :(
Aw no, I’ve watched every one of his videos in the last 7 days and am completely obsessed with his way of living.
I thought he used every penny he ever made saving for his dream of off grid living, to raise a family and generations to come and refurbish the town.
To find out it’s an investment property, probably being pushed by the TH-cam algorithm. Kinda feel robbed, the whole cave diving through mines for denim now kinda seems like a bit of an act.. 😔
He mentioned the investors multiple times in his earlier videos, he never tried to cover it up. He also mentioned all the amenities he had in mind for Cerro Gordo guests. He wants to restore the town for generations to come AND wants to make money from it. He was always up front about all of that from the outset.
@@dndragoi1 I never accused him of hiding it, I just didn’t know until now
Of course. Who spends 1.4M without a business plan with Netflix and Spotify as investors? He is fake. Also has a crew doing all the construction stuff. Fixing two houses, miners cabin and Lolas place, for 3 months milking it all the way lol. Sure, he puts a board or two here and there.
Great...
How can he buy something that costs 1.4 m with only 31 years old?
He had venture capitalists that also contributed.
@@jimmymeetsworld464 yeah, but even 50/50 would still be 700k.
@@yaykruser There were multiple investors including a couple of Corporations so there's really no way to know what percentage that he put in.
@@jimmymeetsworld464 Okay, but I can Imagine that its gonna be difficult to find investors for a projekt like this...
@@yaykruser I think that Airbnb was one of the investors and that's not a small company. If you go back on the video and review the total investors you will find that getting 1.4 million is not that difficult.
#Ghosttownliving
im wondering why he hasnt admitted that it was his own doing and stupidity that cuaused the loss of the 100+ year old hotel. the crown jewel
RIP cuz the ice store and hotel burnt down
Red headed step child.
500 dollars a month for WIFI ? OUCH !
the hotel :(
Only reason I watched this was brent
interesting but nobody is going up there and paying $500 per person that is just a joke
@Sir Veer people who aren't poor :)
Amazing project, unfortunately destined to fail...
why? Really great to have a historical expert here since you seem so confident on your assessment
so guys like this helped gentrify austin and now quaint little desert towns.... sigh
A hostel is hardly gentrification... And how can you gentrify a ghost town?? It's literally abandoned, just development
Imagine having no idea what the term means at all and still attempting to use it as a buzzword.
So edgy
RIP CERRO GORDO!
it's still there and it's still being built. not RIP.
Who's here from This is Why I'm Broke
cera goro has the only real western theme
the other ones are fake
He is way in over his head. He already accidentally burned down the hotel
"Accidentally" 🤔
Yeah right “accidentally”
Follow him on TH-cam
he is probably earning more from youtube than airbnb.
He has no ads
@@allefley4628 Even if he had ads on, he would have made roughly $11,000 as of right now... That's like a drop in the bucket for the level of money he's spent. Now Patreon on the other hand, maybe $4k a month, which does fall in line with the estimated costs since it's just him there living on the land to my knowledge. Definitely does not make money off the town. No visitors spending big cash, since all the buildings are pretty much condemned, or close to it.
Charles Manson tried this business model -_-
Omgg
So his youtube channel is just a fake marketing ploy? lol He presents himself there as a lone adventurer from a poor family that likes solitude, yet here you see it's a business, he has a team, was an investment banker, spent $1.4 million for this bunch of sheds in the middle of nowhere, and has a full comfort including a satellite internet connection. What a crook.
@@scottthompson2785 I cried 3 hours. Enjoy getting scammed by every conman that comes around.
I believe his outlook on this has really changed. From research I've done and from watching the videos he makes on youtube, it really seems like spending the past like 7-8months up there has put things into a new perspective. Originally he went into this as a fun business venture, but I think has really grown to genuinely care about the town and its history. Even just seeing this video from a year before he moved up there I see a shift. He's said that he will be there until he dies and has definitely began to take a different approach on life. I know that might just be how I see it, but as an actor and someone with a communication degree (in school studied marketing and all the things that he's done for work) I've made the informed decision that I believe that the content he puts out now is authentic
@@maggielovestoads I agree he has changed a bit. Regardless, I think he is one of the best storytellers on youtube right now. I feel his content is genuine so thats all that really matters.
@@scottthompson2785 Exactly! thank you. He's just a guy sharing something he's become passionate about, no clickbaiting or over the top editing, just a guy with his cats and goats and ghost town lolol
@@maggielovestoads Well said! I was skeptical after viewing all these “other” videos, after growing increasingly intrigued by his lifestyle and philosophy. Thanks for your opinion. I saw his outlook changed too and like how you can back that up as an actor and marketer. I guess we are all so jaded nowadays. I’m a realist, but it’s so refreshing to be take a leap of faith in this TH-cam personality. It’s hard to find genuine humans evolving on screen.
he totally burnt that hotel down
yup, gotta get that insurance fraud cash money somehow
@@alexmohr1072 its so transparent, totally arsehole
@@TobyP82 can you prove it? Cause so far all the reports say otherwise. Are you sure you are not just projecting yourself on him?
Thats disgusting that CNBC put this vid on I'm very disappointed however that got on CNBC please know who you have doing your vids and choose moral and honest entity.
Wtf are u talking about
@@Optitius I think OP doesn’t trust CNBC as a news source and is cautioning the Cerro Gordo owner from letting them release a video about the property. To them it’s like letting a Russian propaganda TV network promote your business. Stupid, but pretty sure that’s their logic.
Fake news
no one will travel there