Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. Scientologists began to purchase properties through limited liability companies which are required by law to disclose their operators but not their owners. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. Conspiracy theories are nothing new when it comes to the Church of Scientology. Click here to read the story. A few months after Yarbrough relocated, a new electrical company moved into his old building. light blockers for blinds bunnings; black and white fallacy examples in commercials; what scope do marine snipers use; does squat and cough work; hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater GARCIA-NAVARRO: So the fact that the church is now buying up these properties through proxy organizations would maybe ring some alarm bells for the community because of what has happened in the past. Miscaviges offer to revitalize downtown hinged on the city ending its attempt to buy one vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. Take away the church footprint, a few condo towers and all buildings owned by the government. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. The city wants to turn downtown into a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. ), [ Slideshow: See every building owned by the church ], In the 90s, a Scientology magazine listed the churchs goals for 2000. We profile several of them here. (Everything owned by parishioner-run companies is still on the tax rolls. But,so far, there have been only 4 comments posted to, It was fantastic stream! CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) A newspaper report says the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent more than $100 million over the past . And it's also basically the financial nucleus of the entire organization. AND it is NOT in a Flood Zone! L Ron Hubbard From HCOPL URGENT ORG PROGRAMMING, "We own a tremendous amount of property. Clarion Inn & Suites Central Clearwater Beach. She reported full-time for six months, interviewing more than 90 people and reviewing more than 1,000 documents, to bring you this story. MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology 's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, US. Once we dug into the data and pulled records, we found that LLCs tied to the Church of Scientology had bought about 100 properties. CLEARWATER, Fla. In this small beachside community sits a 1.4-acre patch of dirt that has become a flash point in a fight between church and state. The most widely publicized death of one of the organization's members was that of 36-year-old Lisa McPherson while in the care of Scientologists at the Scientology-owned Fort Harrison Hotel, in Clearwater, Florida, in 1995.. What religion is Scientology similar to? The Boca Raton Beach Club. It is now 6PM. One of the factors they do control is the waterfront land that's protected by city charter, that they are in the middle of a $64 million plan right now to redesign and develop into a park with gardens and a concert venue. But after Anthony How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years | Investigations | Tampa Bay Times, Do not sell or share my personal information. Your email address will not be published. In 2017 the church acquired six downtown Clearwater retail properties through limited liability companies. Scientologys international spiritual headquarters is anchored by the Flag Building, on left. The Church did however slam the Times for its reporting for having a 'preconceived agenda to present every Scientology story in a false and unfavorable light.'. The church bought the 220-room hotel secretly in 1975, and since then, it has witnessed a number of unusual deaths. It was a very turbulent time. Flag is run by the churchs full-time workforce, the Sea Org, whose members sign billion-year contracts and work around the clock. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. City officials plan to partner with a developer on ways to adapt the red brick schoolhouse, like turning it into a hub for restaurants, retail, or apartments. Internal church documents detailed missions that planted spies in the state attorneys office, the Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Sun newspaper. You might want to consider one of these options that are popular with our guests: Clearwater Beach Hotel - 1.8 mi (2.9 km) away 4-star hotel Free WiFi 3 restaurants Spa Central location Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach - 1.9 mi (3 km) away Flag is run by thechurchs notorious full-time workforce, the Sea Org, whose members sign billion-year contracts. Big Brother is a character and symbol that represents a society where every citizen is under constant surveillance, constantly reminded of this by the slogan "Big . Facebook. Real estate agent Brian Andrus controls seven properties bought around the citys public boat ramp. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. When I have to go to that area, and see them in crowds moving from building to building doing their work ( whatever that is) I think of cockroaches, like whatever you do . And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. In Clearwater, Fla., there's been a quiet series of land purchases over the last three years, $103 million worth made by the Church of Scientology and its parishioners - a doubling of the church's footprint near its international headquarters. Closed now : See all hours. Hi, this is Stu, KnowBe4's CEO. Just make more income with Scientology. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. the Church of Scientology and Clearwater is incapable of being an honest hard-working partner with the city of Clearwater in revitalizing this town it's not possible because it's against their fundamental best interests this is the reason all of the Scientologists in the in Clearwater were instructed by the Office of Special Affairs to . And in 1977, the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters in LA and D.C. And they uncovered hundreds of thousands of memos and documents. Facebook Of the $103 million spent, $99 million was paid in cash. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is the view of the local community? She said, Well, well have to invite you down for dinner, he recalled. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? The Church's celebrity members Tom Cruise and John Travolta are known to have estates near Clearwater as well. ! The companies paid a combined $11.8 million in cash for 28 undeveloped parcels, five empty commercial buildings and a dozen homes in the district, most of them dilapidated. Copyright 2019 NPR. Did you do your taxes? The Church of Scientology doubled its footprint in Clearwater, Florida in just three years after shelling out $103million The Church first landed in Clearwater in 1975 with one hotel. The city has no record yet of redevelopment plans being submitted for any of the North Marina properties since the purchases began, according to planning and development director Gina Clayton. Its like they are trying to control the whole thing.. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Who are they buying from, and how much were they offering? Over the past two years, the properties surrounding the shop have been sold to Scientologist-controlled companies. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. During spiritual counseling, parishioners are interrogated about their deepest secrets, which are recorded in folders and stored indefinitely. "Then we realized our hotel room must have been bugged." After bolting from the center, $23,000 poorer, the Rowes say, they were chased repeatedly by Scientologists on foot and in cars. You are a fundamentalist Scientologist, or youre not one at all.. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. We don't know if they're just going to continue to squat on them - because they haven't done anything yet. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. The logical conclusion is Scientology must have some sort of a game plan in mind, but theyre not public with what it is, City Council member Hoyt Hamilton said as he looked at a map of downtowns new ownership. The few that chose to speak on selling their property said they were approached by a Scientologist who made offers and paid in cash. Many of the properties werent on the market. The lack of action from Scientology-tied buyers has precedent. They called it, quote, "little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting." They didnt say what they were going to do with them, and I never asked, said Chesney, who works as the citys marine and aviation department director. After the City Council voted to buy the lot in April 2017, Miscavige refused to talk to city officials for the next two and a half years. Chef Karl has held positions at the Bermuda Carlton Beach Hotel, and Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. Aaron Smith-Levin, a former Sea Org member, said a church ethics officer in 1993 pressured Smith-Levins father-in-law to sell Scientology a downtown property it wanted for expansion. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. wolf trace homes for sale; Assistant City Manager Michael Delk said the citys priority is turning the spectacular land it owns into a community destination, no matter who owns the private property around it. And it's all surrounding the city's downtown waterfront. Businesses without ties to the church are moving into a few of those. Didn't like the Grab N Go Idea for a continental Breakfast. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. If people all over the world would do this, it would change the earth." A broker who was a Scientologist approached a downtown property owner. What you know is what you know and to have the courage to know and say what you have observed".- LRH from Personal Integrity, "It is necessary to happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself.
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