A cryptocurrency entrepreneur has unveiled ambitious plans to transform San Francisco's iconic Alcatraz Island with a monumental 450-foot statue of Prometheus, hoping to secure President Donald Trump's approval for the controversial project.
The Vision: Great Colossus of Prometheus
Ross Calvin, founder of crypto mining firm Parhelion Digital, proposes constructing a $420 million statue honouring the Greek mythological figure who stole fire from the gods. The monument would feature a gas-powered flaming torch and stand taller than the Statue of Liberty's 305 feet.
The project, dubbed the "Great Colossus of Prometheus," would convert the former prison island into a tourist attraction featuring lush gardens and a museum showcasing breakthrough technologies from the telescope to artificial intelligence. Calvin envisions it as a gift to the American people timed with President Trump's celebrations of 250 years of American independence.
Political Connections and Funding
Calvin believes his proposal could gain traction within the Trump administration, telling The Independent he hopes to secure a meeting with White House officials within six months. The Denver-based entrepreneur claims to have connections through "friends of friends" in the administration and successfully delivered a letter to President Trump via a friend at Mar-a-Lago last December.
Soon after Calvin's outreach, Trump posted on Truth Social: "America is going to start building monuments to our great heroes and heroines again!!!"
The crypto entrepreneur is developing a private, for-profit fund composed of real estate and crypto assets to support the project, which he says has already attracted interest from major investors including those in the Middle East.
Competing Visions for Alcatraz
Calvin's proposal faces significant hurdles, including convincing the Trump administration to hand over control of a federally-controlled tourist attraction that generates approximately $60 million annually in revenue. The president has expressed his own vision for Alcatraz - reopening the decaying facility as an active prison.
In July, Trump dispatched Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to inspect the island. Administration sources told Axios that converting Alcatraz back into a prison could cost up to $2 billion, while even basic seismic repairs to maintain its current state as a historic site will require $63.6 million through 2027.
Controversy and Criticism
Bay Area critics have lambasted the Prometheus proposal as inappropriate and hubristic. Adrian Covert, a historian with the Bay Area Council policy nonprofit, called Prometheus "an odd choice" given the myth serves as "a warning against hubris."
Gil Duran, a journalist covering what he calls the tech world's right-wing "Nerd Reich," was more scathing, describing the plan as "a perfect mix of phallicism and fascism, and a great metaphor for the state of tech in 2025." He added that the "deranged publicity stunt" has no chance of being built.
Calvin defends his vision, describing Prometheus as "the first freedom fighter" and "a regime-busting, no-kings guy" whose story embodies the American ideal of the pursuit of happiness. He insists the monument aims to provoke anti-authoritarian conversation rather than promote any racist or anti-immigrant agenda.
As Silicon Valley increasingly blends with Trump's MAGA movement, the Prometheus proposal represents both the grand ambitions and contentious politics defining this unusual alliance. Whether this modern colossus ever rises above San Francisco Bay depends on navigating federal bureaucracy, securing massive funding, and convincing critics that ancient Greek mythology belongs on one of America's most historic islands.
