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BOX ELDER COUNTY — A 2-acre piece of land in Box Elder County, that the owner calls a sovereign nation, has generated so much attention that people are now signing up to visit.
Zaq Landsberg, from New York, claims the land in the remote northwest desert of Box Elder County — called Zaqistan — is his sovereign nation. He also admits it's primarily an art project to get people thinking about what makes a nation into a nation.
Zaqistan isn't recognized by other countries as a legitimate nation, but it is a real place. Ever since KSL's report in 2015, more than 80 media outlets around the world have picked up the story.
Landsberg said now a lot of people want to visit Zaqistan.
"We're actually doing this. We are actually trying to get people to pay money to go," he explained.
Zaqistan has opened a tourism office and consulate for the next month in the Central Utah Art Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
Landsberg bought the land for $600 on eBay 11 years ago, started building things, and declared his independence from the United States. He knows how kooky that sounds.
"New York man declares sovereign nation guarded by robotic sentinels," he said.
However, he's also an artist, and Zaqistan is a project to push the boundaries of what is a nation. Whatever Zaqistan is, Friday night, a lot of people signed up to become citizens so they can visit the place.
"I feel like I'm a little in this paradox because it is a project to try to get people to question things that look official by making official-looking things. And it's problematic when people just accept it," he said.
Perhaps people want to experience the remote location, the silence, or feel like anything is possible, Landsberg said. Whatever the reason, Zaqistan has become more than he ever imagined it would.
"It's been really bizarre, kind of overwhelming," he said.
Landsberg said some Pakistanis contacted him. They had heard about Zaqistan and were interested in seeking political asylum there, he said.
The first tour takes place next weekend.
