Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw said in a statement that the church is not involved with the acquisitions. Theyve got one intention, and one intention only, De Vocht said. The churchs campus grew slowly over decades. The 2017-2019 Downtown Clearwater land purchases made by Scientologists totaled $103 million. 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. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. But they werent ready to sell the building, which they had owned for 27 years. Paid in cash. And Scientology has an interest in keeping that insulated according to former executives that we've interviewed. Epstein could have simply told the reporter his client was not the Church of Scientology and left it at that. 2. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Just out of curiosity, when you say the tactics that they used in the '70s, what were those? The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. Purchases in the North Marina Area took off in July 2019, three months after the City Council voted to buy the historic North Ward Elementary School across the street from the Seminole ramp and Andrus condo. The Tampa Bay Times reports that members of the church have spent $103 million on property in the city of Clearwater known as "The first Scientology city" since . I think it's comparable to say it's kind of, like, if there were to be a Vatican reporter in Vatican City. The Church takes seriously its responsibility and interest in the future of the area. In a letter, the church said the Times is misinterpreting Scientology policy and that other religions also practice shunning. Searcy felt like hed created a canvas for a dream hotel, condo and retail project: near the bridge to Clearwater Beach, no height restrictions, all under $5 million. Fischler, a local real estate agent, negotiated at least 10 of the downtown deals, according to interviews with sellers. Church of Scientology website It is with great pride we welcome you to the Church of Scientology of Melbourne. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the churchs first purchase in the city in 1975. Over the past two years, the properties surrounding the shop have been sold to Scientologist-controlled companies. DEUTERIUM INVESTMENT ADVISORS LIMITED In January and February 2017, a handful of limited liability companies bought six prime downtown parcels. But on days with no events, downtown feels deserted. After his stint at CBRE, Riley worked for Caliber Wells in Scottsdale, Arizona and then left the firm. Some of the parishioners have a history of working on Scientologys behalf. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address Argall left the church and was forced to abandon his business of more than 20 years. 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 . MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. None of the other parishioners whose companies bought property since 2017 responded to questions about their plans. But the aquarium rejected his bid in order to sell it to the city for $4.25 million. The purchases totaled $11.8 million and were documented by the Tampa Bay Times in its November 2021 story: companies connected to the Church of Scientology are buying tracts of land within the 55-acre district and not disclosing what they plan to do with them. City leaders spent tens of millions improving streets, subsidizing residential projects and hiring consultants. Andrus did not respond to a phone message or email inquiring if he was involved in the 45 purchases in the blocks surrounding his condo project. I dont mix my personal business with other areas in my life, said Terri Novitsky, a Scientologist who manages a company that bought two office buildings on Chestnut Street in 2017. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Rabid Cult: Scientology Bites Dog Food Company; Attacks Cream Cheese; and Screams at Rolling Stone Magazine, Podcast with Aaron Smith-Levin: Grant Cardone Lawsuit Update & David Gentile Criminal Case. Zano did not respond to questions about what his plans for the properties. Businesses might see this city project and say, yeah, let me take a chance on downtown and open up a business. Even city leaders said they didnt know the full extent of the purchases until they were shown maps created by the Times. 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. Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday. He is linked to the Church of Scientology via the Epsteins and Trish Duggan. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. Theres no such thing in Scientology. The church attracts members through a theology of self improvement and understanding. We built a graphic demonstrating just how little is left. Based upon on our new hypothesis that Trish Duggan may be the financier of the land purchases, the logic of bringing in non-Scientologist Rod Riley to act as the frontman makes sense as it can serve to counter any accusation that Scientology is taking over Clearwater. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. It would be the same if I was a (proud) Christian, Jew, or Muslim. 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. Times Staff WritersOct. But its potential is still untapped, with prime vacant land overlooking Clearwater Harbor. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is the view of the local community? Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. Visitors walk through downtown on a Friday. Clearwater is the center of that revenue stream. There are 22 Church of Scientology facilities in downtown Clearwater. They haven't started construction - or are they going to redevelop them and bring businesses in and contribute to a vibrant downtown? The downtown and North Marina properties bought by limited liability companies managed or operated by members of Scientology remain on the tax rolls. VIDEO: Finally, Scientific Proof that Scientologys Body Thetans Cannot Exist! Flag is supposed to be an insulated oasis. Pros. Through a spokesperson, Epstein said in an email that CA South looked into developing the properties on behalf of a client but walked away when the city did not relax a rule prohibiting a parking lot level facing North Fort Harrison Avenue. All together, 32 companies bought 92 downtown properties since 2017. Clarification made on CBRE and thank you for pointing that out. MCMANUS: It kind of started in early 2017. Additional Clearwater real estate purchases began in 2019. The Florida Secretary of State records show the firm went dormant in 2012. MCMANUS: You know, Lulu, from my reporting, I've learned that there's a lot of mistrust and suspicion still in the community when it comes to Scientology because a lot of the residents here were living in the city when Scientology arrived in the '70s, and they remember the tactics Scientology used. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. The property wasnt on the market. These workers sign billion year contracts, are paid very little, work around the clock. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . Both are supposed to open soon. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. In 2017 the church acquired six downtown Clearwater retail properties through limited liability companies. 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. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. Most religions have a fundamentalist wing, Rinder said. When asked by the Tampa Bay Times about the 2017-2018 land purchases totaling $103 million made by Scientologists, Church attorney Gary Soter wrote a letter in which he stated: The Church was unaware of the significant number of properties owned by Scientologists in the Clearwater area and are delighted you provided the information, the letter continued. We reported at that time that a handful of limited liability companies bought about six downtown properties, and Scientology leader David Miscavige had presented a retail plan to two city staff officials. 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. It teaches that expanding Scientology is key to saving the world, then wields a system of totalitarian policies to keep parishioners in line. ( magazine) Applied Philosophy ARC Straightwire (ARC stands for affinity-reality-communication) ARC Fil Direct Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) The Auditor Rice said hes been surprised that he has not been approached by brokers trying to buy his 10,000-square-foot building. Most did not respond or declined to comment. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. He saw the area improve when police cracked down on drugs and prostitution decades ago. Another tell. Help us keep bringing stories like this to you. Andrus involvement in Scientology goes back decades and includes his participation in a plan during the 1970s to stop a church member who had spied on the federal government from turning himself in to the FBI. The analysis considered property within the general boundaries of Cedar Street to the north, Missouri Avenue to the east, Chestnut Street to the south and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west. The US average revenue of a car dealership is $38.3 million. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. Sep 19, 2022 - Anonymous Employee in Clearwater, FL. But the promised downtown revival never came. Religious Technology Center (RTC) is the primary manager of Scientology intellectual property. ), [ Slideshow: See every building owned by the church ], In the 90s, a Scientology magazine listed the churchs goals for 2000. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Almost all of the properties were quietly bought through limited liability companies required to disclose their operators but not their owners as is pretty standard in real estate. They paid $26 million. A for-lease sign sits in long-vacant retail space at The SkyView condo tower, owned by Scientologist and developer Moises Agami. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. And it's also basically the financial nucleus of the entire organization. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. 9,523 Scientologists live in the Tampa Bay area. The few willing to answer questions said Scientology has no influence on their real estate dealings. Tracey McManus is a Scientology reporter for the paper, and she joins us now. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. 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. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. In late 2020, Terri Novitsky also was elected to the Downtown Development Board, an advisory group tasked with promoting downtown. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. By then, he had found an auto garage he could buy in Dunedin. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. She estimated that around a quarter of the . 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. Gulf Coast Marine and ClearwaterPlumbing. Moreover, tens of thousands of Scientologists travel to the city each year from around the world to participate in religious services at the Church's spiritual home. And the tactics they were using to establish area control included infiltration, spying, smearing enemies. Melitta coffee filters are manufactured in Clearwater, Florida. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. But his offer had a catch. It was owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. As a general rule, when someone makes an unsolicited statement, as Riley did by mentioning Mormons and Scientologists, it suggests to us hidden connections. In her November 2021 article on Scientologists buying land in Clearwater, Tracey McManus wrote (emphasis ours): The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. 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. Thats a factor we do not control, Delk said. In private meetings with council members, the Scientology leader described a plan for high-end shops, Cleveland Street facade renovations and an entertainment complex involving actor Tom Cruise, Scientologys most famous parishioner. 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. 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. When the city was considering buying the aquariums lot, Miscavige threatened to stop communicating until the 2020 election, when term limits would force most of the council out of office. But after he forwarded an email critical of the organization in 2012 to another parishioner, the church began an excommunication process that would have forced his partner of 24 years to stop working with him and his tenants to move out. If so, it's technically possible with a home IPO. This month, Shahab Emrani was elected to the Downtown Development Board, which helps promote downtown. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. Scientologists deal with useful non-Scientologists quite often. All rights reserved. Agami also signed two more leases on the same block with restaurants owned by people not connected to the church. The majority of this property now stands vacant, and given the Church's tax exempt status, has limitless potential for development. Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. On Sept. 7, Epsteins employee was removed from the corporate filings of the company that own the land. 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. 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. This purchase was part of Project Normandy, a covert Scientology program to take over Clearwater. Bosi wasnt interested. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. At first, I just wanted to make a short video about the buildings and programs they are doing in clearwater. Then in 2017, companies controlled by parishioners began buying retail property at an unprecedented rate. It is a big faux pas in business PR to bring up the subject of religion when it is absolutely unnecessary to do so. Mike Rinder, who led the churchs intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said that when it comes to property around Flag, theres no real distinction between whether its owned by the church or a parishioner. NIO's stock slumped toward a 2 1/2-year low, after the China-based EV maker reported a much wider-than-expected loss and revenue that fell short of forecasts. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. An empty Walgreens. Many of the properties werent on the market. And the properties cover about 100 acres. Riley is also working with Gensler on the development. And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operated by members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. 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