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For Scientology to Double Its Downtown Clearwater Footprint

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For Scientology to Double Its Downtown Clearwater Footprint **** Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, October 20, 2019 | 7A CLEAR TAKEOVER IT TOOK ONLY THREE YEARS FOR SCIENTOLOGY TO DOUBLE ITS DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER FOOTPRINT. BY TRACEY McMANUS Times Staff Writer he Church of Scientology and companies run by its mem- bers spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. TThey now own most commercial property on every block within walk- ing distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the area’s future. Only government buildings and a smattering of holdouts are left. To see the impact, go down Cleve- land Street, downtown’s main artery. Twenty-two of the first 33 buildings are now owned by the church or the parishioners’ companies. Most of the sales have not previ- ously been reported. The Tampa Bay Times discovered them by reviewing more than 1,000 deeds and business records, then interviewed more than 90 people to reconstruct the circum- stances surrounding the transactions. Even city leaders said they didn’t know the full extent of the purchases until they were shown maps created by the Times. The church, its members and com- panies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. Half the properties were bought since January 2017. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. Each had proposed major redevelopment proj- ects, designed to lure new business into the empty storefronts that sur- round the city-owned waterfront and LUIS SANTANA | Times the church’s spiritual headquarters. In 2017, Scientology leader David Miscavige and the City Council were Then the council interfered with a both trying to buy a vacant lot, center, owned by the Clearwater Marine land deal that Scientology demanded Aquarium. It is adjacent to Scientology’s 13-story Oak Cove religious retreat for its plan. The church stopped com- and across the street from City Hall. The aquarium sold to the city. municating with the city. Almost immediately, a decades- long trickle of purchases by church vided the information,” the letter con- “The logical conclusion is Scientol- members turned into a flood. tinued. ogy must have some sort of a game Nearly all of the properties were Asked directly whether Scientol- plan in mind, but they’re not public bought through limited liability com- ogy orchestrated or paid for any of the with what it is,” City Council member panies, which are required to disclose sales, the church did not answer. Hoyt Hamilton said as he looked at a their operators but not their owners. The Times also contacted represen- map of downtown’s new ownership. Although that arrangement is stan- tatives of all 32 companies it identi- “Typically, when people buy commer- dard in real estate, it makes it impos- fied that bought downtown real estate cial real estate, they move forward sible to know whether the properties over the past three years. Most did not with construction or redevelopment. are owned by the Scientologists who respond or declined to comment. That’s not happening with almost any manage the companies, the wealthy The few willing to answer ques- of these properties.” church or another hidden party. tions said Scientology has no influ- The city wants to turn downtown But companies controlled by dif- ence on their real estate dealings. into a regional destination for food, ferent parishioners bought neighbor- “I don’t mix my personal business drink and entertainment. Longtime ing properties that create clear assem- with other areas in my life,” said Terri City Manager Bill Horne said he can’t blages of land. Novitsky, a Scientologist who man- tell whether the church wants the the church — whether they use it or campus collects millions each week Scientology’s extraordinary influ- ages a company that bought two office same thing. not, whether they let it sit there and through fundraising and payments ence over its members has been doc- buildings on Chestnut Street in 2017. “Ever since I’ve rot — so no one else can be there.” for expensive courses and high-level umented in government investiga- In interviews, sellers said most of been here, and ever religious counseling not offered any- tions and testimony from former the transactions unfolded the same since I’ve dealt with ‘THE FIRST where else. Visitors are expected to parishioners throughout its 65-year way. A broker who was a Scientologist Scientology officials, stay in Scientology’s hotels and eat at history. That has led defectors from approached a downtown property I have heard the SCIENTOLOGY CITY’ private church restaurants. the church and city leaders to believe owner. Made an offer. Paid in cash. leaders articulate Scientology’s survival depends on Flag is run by the church’s full-time there is little chance parishioners are Many of the properties weren’t on that they want to the preservation of its headquarters workforce, the Sea Org, whose mem- making significant real estate deals the market. And half the sales were see a vibrant down- in Clearwater. bers sign billion-year contracts and around Scientology’s mecca without for more than double what the prop- Clearwater town,” Horne said. Scientology has said it has 10 mil- work around the clock. Defectors the church’s involvement. erties were valued by the county prop- City Manager “However, it hasn’t lion followers, but surveys and have said they were paid less than $50 The church has shed no light on its erty appraiser, the Times found. In Bill Horne always been clear to accounts from former members sug- a week. plans. Local Scientology spokesman six cases, buyers paid quadruple the me as to just what gest there are no more than 30,000 Flag is supposed to be an insulated Ben Shaw and international spokes- property’s value. does that actually mean.” worldwide. The church’s influence oasis. Non-Scientologists who get too woman Karin Pouw did not respond Most of the new owners have done Tom De Vocht, a former Scientology comes from the estimated $3 billion close are a threat to the operation, to repeated requests by the Times for little with their acquisitions. Block executive who oversaw the church’s in cash and assets it has collected said Mat Pesch, who spent 27 years an interview with Scientology leader after block, vacant lots sit untouched, property in Clearwater from 1996 to from its followers. in the Sea Org and worked as Flag’s David Miscavige. and storefronts remain empty: A for- 2001, said he believes Scientology is Clearwater is the center of that treasury secretary before defecting in In response to detailed memos mer jewelry store. An empty Wal- responding to the city’s efforts by cre- revenue stream. Scientologists from 2005. summarizing the reporting, the greens. A deserted coin laundry. ating a buffer to keep the public away. across the globe make pilgrimages to “It’s a business,” Pesch said. “The church criticized the Times for por- All five City Council members said “They’ve got one intention, and one the campus, called Flag. It’s designed more it’s isolated and doesn’t have traying its members as “mindless they doubted the rash of purchases intention only,” De Vocht said. “Buy not for recruiting new members but people who are non-Scientologists robots” and for hav- were unrelated. up as much property as they can for for hosting established followers. The around the area, the better.” ing a “preconceived The church’s hostility toward the agenda to present public became clear from its first days every Scientology in the city in fall 1975. story in a false and Scientology founder L. Ron Hub- unfavorable light.” bard had written about doing away “There is noth- with governments and replacing ing unnatural them with a Scientology-run soci- about Scientolo- ety. He was overseeing the religion Scientology gists wanting to live from aboard a ship to avoid investiga- leader David in the same city that tions into tax evasion and fraud when Miscavige houses the inter- he selected Clearwater as a spiritual national spiritual headquarters. It met his criteria: It headquarters of their church,” said a was located in a warm climate near an letter signed by Scientology attorney international airport and had a hotel Gary Soter. the Sea Org could turn into a base. “The Church was unaware of the Church officials used a straw corpo- significant number of properties ration to buy the historic Fort Harri- owned by Scientologists in the Clear- “Project Normandy” was described in one of hundreds of memos Scientology operatives exchanged in the late 1970s son Hotel and moved in under a fake water area and are delighted you pro- about a plan to infiltrate and take control of the city of Clearwater. See TAKEOVER, 10A A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AND THE CITY May 1950 1954 Late 1975 January 1976 criticism. Cazares responds with an Science fiction writer Hubbard turns The Southern Land Development Scientology is revealed $8 million libel suit against the church. L. Ron Hubbard his teachings and Leasing Corp. buys downtown as the true buyer of publishes Dianetics: into the Church Clearwater’s Fort Harrison Hotel and the Fort Harrison amid 1976 The Modern Science of Scientology leases it to a group called United intense scrutiny by the Scientologists follow Cazares to of Mental Health, of California. Churches of Florida. It marks the end press and the mayor. Washington, D.C. and stage a hit-and- which theorizes that The federal of its history as a hub for weddings, Hubbard flees the city.
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