With the end of the world apparently scheduled for December 31, 2012, there’s sure to be a number of opportunistic companies looking to cash in on the upcoming apocalypse. One such company is Vivos, which envisions a network of 20 underground shelters located near major cities across the U.S. with accommodation for up to 4,000 people.

Aside from some unspecified end of the world scenario brought about by the end of the Mayan calendar, the shelters will also be built to survive the stock standard reasons for the apocalypse such as nuclear war and collision with an asteroid.

Each fully self-contained Vivos shelter complex will accommodate a community of 172 – 200 people in spacious quarters for up to one year or autonomous survival to “ride out the potential events.” The airtight shelters are designed to survive virtually any catastrophe, or threat scenario including natural disasters, a nuclear blast, chemical and biological weapons, or even just good ol’ social anarchy.

The US$10 million luxury Vivos shelter design is based on a spoke cluster of 10 radiating residential wings surrounding a two story, 60 foot diameter central dome. The complex includes community gathering areas and private suites providing comfortable accommodations with about 100 square feet per person – well above the 40 and 50 square feet minimums advised by the Red Cross and FEMA respectively for long-term underground shelter.

Each Vivos facility is equipped with its own internal power generation system, backup battery banks, deep water wells, biological, chemical and radiation air filtration systems, sewage disposal systems, abundant food and clothing storage, security devices, medical equipment and supplies and critical support equipment including off-road vehicles – presumably for doing battle with mutant road warriors once the dust settles topside.

All shelters include complete and fully furnished living quarters, with semi-private bedrooms, deluxe bathrooms, kitchen and dining areas, spacious lounges and meeting areas, computers, theater electronics, exercise equipment, well stocked educational and entertainment materials, an urgent medical and dental care center, security facilities with a detention area, vaults for valuables and munitions, a communications center, laundry facilities, a repair shop, and abundant storage areas for food, fuel, water, medicine, supplies and a wardrobe inventory with a large selection of comfortable clothing and footwear in all sizes.

Prior to any engagement of a shelter the Vivos Group will provide operational oversight of each Owner’s Association for ongoing maintenance, replenishment, security, monitoring, surveillance, notifications and advisories. Then, once a facility is occupied and under lock down the co-owners will elect a board and take over autonomous operation and management of their particular facility. All members need to do is arrive before the facility is sealed and secured.

The Vivos network already includes a group of existing nuclear hardened shelters. Varying in size, these shelters will be completely retrofitted with state of the art security, mechanical, electrical, filtration and air handling systems and will be the first shelters in the network due to come on line this year.

Vivos plans to complete construction and commissioning of the remaining network of underground community shelters within time for the possible end of the world on December 31, 2012.

Spaces in the bunkers are likely to be in the US$50,000 price range and so far over 1,000 applications have been received to reserve a place. So, if you’re the overly cautious, paranoid or just plain gullible type, you might want to get along to the Vivos site where there is a handy doomsday clock counting down to New Years Eve 2012 to let you know just how long you’ve got to get your pennies together.

Via Luxury Insider.