Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology executive who oversaw the churchs property in Clearwater from 1996 to 2001, said he believes Scientology is responding to the citys efforts by creating a buffer to keep the public away. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. In six cases, buyers made four times the propertys value deemed by the county property appraiser. It also operates the Fairfield Inn & Suites on Clearwater Beach. 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. Clearwater also has more vagrants. 1 (727) 205-9357. If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. Weve spent a lot of happy years here, Lares said. Scientology has said it has 10 million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. 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 three years buying up huge sections of downtown Clearwater. Ever since then the church stopped communicating with the city, and the rapid land grab commenced. They also pointed to the latest edition of their Freedom magazine for what they called an accurate portrayal of the church and its members in Clearwater. Clearwater is the permanent home to more than 10,000 Scientology parishioners. Anonymous "members" have stated it was a great success with at least 3 Scientology members being arrested for assault, when the scientologists grabbed and attempted to remove protesters' masks. 20, 2019. Has the Church of Scientology ever killed anyone? $500,000 USD: Your Dream Florida Home with heated Pool is within Reach! Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Operatives framed the mayor in a staged hit-and-run and spread false rumors he was having an extramarital affair. Scientology proposed a major redevelopment project meant to lure in new business to the empty stores in the citys waterfront area and near the churchs headquarters, but the council interfered, botching plans for a land deal that the church wanted for its expansion plan. srini devadas linkedin Non-Scientologists who get too close are a threat to the operation, said Mat Pesch, who spent 27 years in the Sea Org and worked as Flags treasury secretary before defecting in 2005. Its a business, Pesch said. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. Closed now : See all hours. Story by TRACEY McMANUS GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? Any property owned by a Scientologist or linked to a Scientologist is owned by the church, because the church owns its parishioners, said De Vocht, the former executive in charge of real estate, who reported directly to Miscavige. But now these LLCs tied to Scientology control the retail district. (Everything owned by parishioner-run companies is still on the tax rolls. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. See listing details for 880 Mandalay Avenue S604, CLEARWATER, FL 33767 | REGATTA BEACH CLUB CONDO: 0 - 1.00 - 500 - Condo - Hotel listed at 2995 | MLS #O6093827 Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology executive who oversaw the church's property in Clearwater from 1996 to 2001, said he believes Scientology is responding to the city's efforts by creating a. Karl Heinz Riedl, ("Chef Karl"), is the co-owner of Bon Appetit Group. He is not listed on the corporate filings for any of the eight limited liability companies that recently bought the North Marina properties. Miscavige cut off communication with the city. 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 Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. 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. Those six lots were bought in November 2020 by a limited liability company then-managed by an employee of CA South, a Nashville-based real estate firm founded by Megan Epstein and advised by her husband, Stephen Epstein, both members of Scientology. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. They have control over what businesses, if any, come in. In 1975, Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard bought a historic hotel in downtown Clearwater. Some have donated millions to the church. Clarion Inn & Suites Central Clearwater Beach has an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, a restaurant and bar in Clearwater. They called it, quote, "little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting." 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. 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. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Cruise, 56, is moving into a multimillion-dollar penthouse apartment at The SkyView, a 10 . And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. The WORST care homes in England: Interactive map reveals the lowest-rated 2,530 residences - so is there one 'I can still hear their cruel laughter': Dr Alex George bravely reveals he suffered with an eating disorder Matt Hancock discussed 'deploying' new virus variant to 'frighten the pants off everyone' as former Health 'So many dead. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. In summer 2017, Mark Searcy, a longtime Clearwater real estate agent who is not a Scientologist, assembled a 1-acre site by getting the owners of three adjoining properties to agree to sell. Part of the reason for that is because they have this Sea Org that works full time and is paid less than $50 a week. san jose state basketball recruiting; 5 types of imagery in the pedestrian. The Church's celebrity members Tom Cruise and John Travolta are known to have estates near Clearwater as well. The church offered $15 million for the parcel. They include consumer products, a lighting manufacturer, development firms, fitness, advertising and marketing, environmental services and financial advisers. My plan is to keep renting, Huestler said. Hes encouraged by city investments in the boat ramp and North Ward Elementary, and holds out hope that the undeveloped lots and dilapidated homes will be replaced with something vibrant. After a workout in our fitness center, begin your morning with our free hot breakfast, free hot coffee and free weekday newspaper in our . And the mayor. The Resort at Longboat Key Club . Seventy-three percent of the property is tax-exempt for religious purposes. The only record of redevelopment that has occurred among the 45 properties is a roof replacement on a vacant building on North Fort Harrison Avenue and internal demolition in a former flooring center two blocks north, according to notices in Pinellas County records. Then,. Ive been waiting for this neighborhood to clean up for 30 years, and I still think its around the corner, Rice said. Facebook We believe it's important to shed light on a powerful institution that's very controversial and plays a big role in our community. But just how has the church expanded at such an alarming rate? GARCIA-NAVARRO: It's the type of servitude. 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 or "selling postcards" or borrowing money. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. None of the other parishioners whose companies bought property since 2017 responded to questions about their plans. Scientologists make up a diverse group in Clearwater. During spiritual counseling, parishioners are interrogated about their deepest secrets, which are recorded in folders and stored indefinitely. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear, he said, so its tough to make economic sense out of it.. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. Suspicion swirled. Times reporters built a database of hundreds of properties in the center of Clearwaters downtown. Made an offer. The Mission: Impossible - Fallout star plans to call an elaborate penthouse, complete with a private swimming pool and garden, his new home. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Claimed. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. MCMANUS: The reason Scientology has such an outsized influence is because of the cash and assets it has, which is estimated to be $3 billion. After negotiations, Kerrs company paid Yarbrough $1.1 million in cash for the lots, then valued by Pinellas County at $331,000. 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 . I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. I had to make a decision, Bosi said. Hotel in Clearwater. It is now 6PM. The Church of Scientologyh first landed in Clearwater in 1975 with one hotel property to its name, but the organization had elaborate plans to spread its reach across the entire downtown area, In just three years, starting with a frantic land grab in January 2017, Scientology doubled its footprint in the city, The Church of Scientology doubled its footprint in Clearwater, Florida in a matter of just three years after shelling out $103million to snatch up 185 properties that cover 101 acres of the city's downtown area. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had written about doing away with governments and replacing them with a Scientology-run society. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. Save. 325 . When you stay with us at the Sleep Inn Clearwater-St Petersburg hotel, you can expect stylish accommodations for an affordable rate. Thomas Paine, Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Martin Luther King, The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. - Martin Luther King. They envisioned apartment buildings with ground-floor stores, winding paths with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and a concert venue that would draw visitors from across the region. Hamilton, who owns the Palm Pavilion on Clearwater Beach, said if he was going to buy a piece of commercial property, then he would have plans for it before he acquired it and would head straight. Shephard's Beach Resort. Scientologys extraordinary influence over its members has been documented in government investigations and testimony from former parishioners throughout its 65-year history. George Orwell's astonishing novel 1984 depicts a dystopian world that has many remarkable similarities to scientology. [quote] Florida Gov. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. Brian Andrus controls companies that last year bought a marina on N Osceola Avenue and six nearby properties, all bordering a redevelopment project at the citys public boat ramp. 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 . All 45 North Marina properties were purchased by companies managed or operated by two longtime members of Scientology: Steven Hayes, an attorney who has done legal work on behalf of church related organizations for more than two decades, and Norm Novitsky, a businessperson who has donated at least $5 million to Scientology. They paid $26 million. Both are supposed to open soon. For the first time, a majority of the boards members will be Scientologists. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? This Gulfport 14-year-old, The death of Dilbert and the art vs. the artist | Letters. Oddly enough, half of those properties werent on sale and half of the sales went for more than double the propertys actual value. And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. Among them: make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. Of the 100 properties bought by parishioner-managed companies near the downtown waterfront from 2017 to 2019, 24 storefronts and buildings remain empty, including a former Walgreens, an old jewelry store and prominent buildings along the North Fort Harrison corridor. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there,'Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology executive who oversaw the churchs property in Clearwater from 1996 to 2001, said. Each had proposed major redevelopment projects, designed to lure new business into the empty storefronts that surround the city-owned waterfront and the churchs spiritual headquarters. "Working from home" after a hurricane means going to a hotel, since the power always goes out for between 2-7 days. He had committed to downtown in 1997. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. 'Theyve got one intention, and one intention only. Philip Kirkpatrick, Clearwaters senior economic development coordinator, said Stephen Epstein spoke with city officials in December about a potential commercial and multifamily project on the site. A broker is trying to buy the building Peter and Emily Lares have owned for decades. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. And Scientology has an interest in keeping that insulated according to former executives that we've interviewed. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. New Pasco County commissioner accused of faking his residency, Guide to Plant Citys Strawberry Festival, one of the largest festivals in the nation, Gov. But the promised downtown revival never came. 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. Answer (1 of 12): Openly, they tend to congregate around the area of downtown where they work and own most of the real estate. But its potential is still untapped, with prime vacant land overlooking Clearwater Harbor. Of the $103 million spent, $99 million was paid in cash. 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. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Inc. magazine's 2019 report on the 5,000 fastest-growing privately owned businesses in America cites 16 firms based in Clearwater. We profile several of them here. In addition, more is planned to occur on the "Ides of march" (March 15th) Which also happens to be L. Ron Hubbard's . The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Florida Hotels and Places to Stay. Dalai Lama. . William Faulkner, "The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis." Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) Jim Warren has lived in Clearwater since 1995 with his wife, Cindy, and their two children, Drew and Art. The Boca Raton Beach Club. Thats a factor we do not control, Delk said. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. Minkoff had his medical license suspended for a year after it . Hes starting to assemble properties, Allbritton said. Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. I mean, do they view it as helpful for the community at large to have a major religious organization centered in their town or not? 1,915 reviews. And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. Trump congratulates Justin Trudeau on winning a second term Three soldiers died when their tank fell off a bridge into a Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Why does this matter? Im concerned, Mayor Frank Hibbard said. According to court records, Andrus accompanied two guards as they handcuffed and gagged the man, dragged him into a car and drove him to a hideout, where he was held for a month before escaping. Since it was founded in 1955, Scientology has purchased hundreds, possibly thousands of buildings. The Times counted each parcel that was assigned a value by the property appraiser as a single property with five exceptions. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. The reason lies in rising tensions between the church and the Clearwater City Council. I thought this person was a cult member immediately . hornitos tequila vs patron. Llmenos para una consulta. The city and the church fought in court for years. Run away!!! The Church didn't comment on whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the real estate sales. Police were quick to respond. Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in sight. 3,594 Reviews . "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. In 2017 the church acquired six downtown Clearwater retail properties through limited liability companies. Scientology boasts 10million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. Did you do your taxes? Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. This one is owned by a parishioner who had been featured on the churchs Meet a Scientologist video series. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. MCMANUS: It kind of started in early 2017. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. In those cases, four or more parcels purchased together clearly comprised a single piece of real estate. The few that chose to speak on selling their property said they were approached by a Scientologist who made offers and paid in cash. Scientology came to downtown Clearwater in 1975. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. It met his criteria: It was located in a warm climate near an international airport and had a hotel the Sea Org could turn into a base. Were she in Utah, would the Times intrepid reporter have headlined that 'Mormons are buying up property in downtown Salt Lake City!' The gallery does not include properties bought by companies run by church members. She said, Well, well have to invite you down for dinner, he recalled. But Lee assumed the church was involved. Flag is what they call it, and it's the international spiritual headquarters of the church. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with reporter Tracey McManus. During that period, downtown purchases by limited liability companies managed by members of Scientology accelerated. At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. The analysis did not include residential parcels except in cases where they were bought in conjunction with commercial property or vacant land. Trending; . CLEARWATER Ed Chesney had two rental homes and two vacant lots in the North Marina Area on the market for a year before his real estate agent called in late 2019 with good news. The church also targeted the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Justice and scores of foreign governments. Nearly all of the properties were bought through limited liability companies, which are required to disclose their operators but not their owners. Never seen anything like it': Medics and care workers hits back at Matt Hancock by revealing Rishi Sunak told Matt Hancock that Dominic Cummings' time in Downing Street was 'a nightmare', new WhatsApp Madonna's Skid Row brother: For years the superstar, 64, was accused of shunning him. 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. He owns Stonebridge Real Estate and served as president of the Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors in 2017. And Clearwater is home to one of the Church's most important bases, a campus called Flag, which established Scientologists from across the globe make pilgrimages to. Yarbrough never learned the buyers identity. Scientology hasn't answered directly why they've taken over the Clearwater area, but skeptics say it's to keep the public away. June 9, 2022. When the council voted to buy the property, the chamber erupted in applause. CONNIE HUMBURG, TRACEY McMANUS, ELI MURRAY, ELI ZHANG | Times. 'Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Disloyalty has life-changing consequences. commercial meat slicer rental near me. Over the past two years, the properties surrounding the shop have been sold to Scientologist-controlled companies. Buy up as much property as they can for the church whether they use it or not, whether they let it sit there and rot so no one else can be there.. Review. Agami also signed two more leases on the same block with restaurants owned by people not connected to the church. The family of Moises Agami, a developer whose companies bought 20 storefronts and a parking lot last year, has donated at least $10 million. (On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times reported that since 2017, companies run by members of Scientology bought another 86 downtown commercial properties. L Ron Hubbard Lecture 31 Dec 1960, "Personal integrity is knowing what you know. ', 'Ever since Ive been here, and ever since Ive dealt with Scientology officials, I have heard the leaders articulate that they want to see a vibrant downtown,,' Longtime City Manager Bill Horne, who wanted to turn downtown into a mall and entertainment center, said. 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. 275 reviews #24 of 428 Restaurants in Clearwater $ American Cafe Diner. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA. Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw said in a statement that the church is not involved with the acquisitions. Main Menu When buildings get important to us, for God sakes, some of you born revolutionists will you please blow up central headquarters". Thank you for having us. Right now, at least 30 businesses owned by non-parishioners are renting from Scientologists. Four high-ranking defectors describe bizarre behavior and physical beatings inflicted by Scientology leader David Miscavige. Scientology leader David Miscavige pictured above. In January and February 2017, as the council was preparing to approve the consultants concept, a handful of companies bought six commercial properties downtown. The DeNunzio Group is affiliated with Maine Course Hospitality Group, which owns and operates 24 hotels in five states. But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. '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. Reached at their condo, his wife declined to comment. Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison.
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