New details about the case of Lisa McPherson, who died in the care of Scientologists, from the executive who directed the Church of Scientologys handling of the case. Clearwater also has more vagrants. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. I agree, the blog has a limited purpose, Super excellent, really great chemistry, so enjoyable to watch. The downtown and North Marina properties bought by limited liability companies managed or operated by members of Scientology remain on the tax rolls. Has the Church of Scientology ever killed anyone? The Mission: Impossible - Fallout star plans to call an elaborate penthouse, complete with a private swimming pool and garden, his new home. Then,. The most notable one is that of Lisa McPherson. Did you do your taxes? They paid $26 million. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Story by TRACEY McMANUS Clearwater is home to one of the Church's most important bases, a campus called Flag (above), which Scientologists across the globe make pilgrimages to. Although Zano is not well known in Clearwater, the companies spent $16.7 million acquiring 26 commercial properties downtown. June 22, 2022; Posted by . February 27, 2023 7:03 PM. Almost immediately, a decades-long trickle of purchases by church members turned into a flood. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has bought 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name: 58 are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. Suspicion swirled. In Florida, limited liability companies that buy property are required to disclose administrative operators but not their owners. 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 the mayor. But many of those purchased properties remain shuttered or in disuse. But far more non-Scientologists are moving out. They spent $6.5 million to renovate the public Seminole Boat Ramp, a popular centerpiece seen as a sign of the citys commitment. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What do you mean billion year contracts? Florida Hotels and Places to Stay. The church acquired three others in a land swap. He took over Bob Lees Auto to continue the business legacy and served on the Downtown Development Board for a decade. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront, putting the secretive church firmly in control of the areas future. 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. ', Freedom Magazine is a Scientology produced publication. ARC Straightwire (ARC stands for affinity-reality-communication) ARC Fil Direct. From $150.62 per night. 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. City leaders spent tens of millions improving streets, subsidizing residential projects and hiring consultants. 'Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. The stick out moment, is Tom Cruise auditing Marc, and failing., The live Q & A had great questions and answers. 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. There's parishioners that come here from all over the world to take courses in high level auditing that's not offered anywhere else. And it's also basically the financial nucleus of the entire organization. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So tell me about these land purchases. 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. In the 70s, Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Scientology plan to infiltrate the government. But,so far, there have been only 4 comments posted to, It was fantastic stream! Then the council interfered with a land deal that Scientology demanded for its plan. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. Walking through Clearwater people will find vacant lots, an empty former jewelry store, an dead laundromat and an abandoned Walgreens. 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. srini devadas linkedin This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and the six retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. The analysis did not include residential parcels except in cases where they were bought in conjunction with commercial property or vacant land. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. She reported full-time for six months, interviewing more than 90 people and reviewing more than 1,000 documents, to bring you this story. Thats a factor we do not control, Delk said. It's GRAYGATE! 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. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. Scientologists began to purchase properties through limited liability companies which are required by law to disclose their operators but not their owners. The church promised to spend $55 million. Most of the sales have not previously been reported. 'However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.'. Since arriving in Clearwater in 1975, the Church of Scientology has purchased 60 properties in Pinellas County under its name. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. Brokers who are Scientologists approached at least 15 downtown owners about unlisted properties. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. Miscavige cut off communication with the city. It set aside $10 million for secret real estate purchases in Clearwater. 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. These workers sign billion year contracts, are paid very little, work around the clock. Tom Cruise is moving to Clearwater, Florida to live just blocks away from the Church of Scientology headquarters. But his offer had a catch. Local Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw and international spokeswoman Karin Pouw did not respond to repeated requests by the Times for an interview with Scientology leader David Miscavige. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. Didn't like the Grab N Go Idea for a continental Breakfast. It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. Dozens of residents showed up to speak. The churchs influence comes from its massive wealth, estimated around $3billion in cash and assets, collected from devoted followers. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. Of the $103 million spent, $99 million was paid in cash. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. In 1975, Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard bought a historic hotel in downtown Clearwater. The Times used the date that transactions were recorded in Clerk of Courts official record as the date of sale. The few willing to answer questions said Scientology has no influence on their real estate dealings. 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 circumstances surrounding the transactions. That has led defectors from the church and city leaders to believe there is little chance parishioners are making significant real estate deals around Scientologys mecca without the churchs involvement. 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. And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and six additional retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. We profile several of them here. Tin Can Cafe. Its designed not for recruiting new members but for hosting established followers. ! 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 . Scientology is all I have to say, There are no pros that unless you are a Scientologist. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. He called the Tampa Bay Times questions about parishioners activity not just stupid, false and offensive, but un-American., You talk out of both sides of your mouth: If redevelopment is being done by the city or a member of another religion, not Scientology, it is good; if redevelopment is being done by a Scientologist, it is bad, Shaw said. Jim Warren has lived in Clearwater since 1995 with his wife, Cindy, and their two children, Drew and Art. Now, 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. Review. 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. Andrus did not respond to an email, phone message, a note left at his office or a certified letter. A broker is trying to buy the building Peter and Emily Lares have owned for decades. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. He promoted the site to about 75 hoteliers and developers across the country. 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. Tyler Rice has run Carillon Flooring Center on North Fort Harrison for 30 years, the business his father started there in 1964. In six cases, buyers made four times the propertys value deemed by the county property appraiser. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. That's the findings of a story in the Tampa Bay Times that's headlined clear takeover. church of 8 wheels closing; forest fair village shopping mall; 10Jun. Tom Cruise, a devout follower of Scientology, has been effectively 'homeless' since he put his homes in California and New York on the marketearning GBP 41.5million ($55 million) in the process. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. A deserted coin laundry. $500,000 USD: Your Dream Florida Home with heated Pool is within Reach! Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. 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. TRACEY MCMANUS: Hi, Lulu. In addition, more is planned to occur on the "Ides of march" (March 15th) Which also happens to be L. Ron Hubbard's . 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. Revealed: The top 10 fastest-growing destinations for UK pensioners retiring overseas. She said, Well, well have to invite you down for dinner, he recalled. Members have to answer to their ethics officer for any act of disloyalty to Scientologys mission. Clearwater is a beautiful town and the downtown area is now a ghost town. The family of Moises Agami, a developer whose companies bought 20 storefronts and a parking lot last year, has donated at least $10 million. 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. Norm Novitsky hung up when asked by a reporter about the companies plans. 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 Real estate offices, vitamin shops and vacant storefronts fill prime locations that in a more vibrant downtown might hold breweries, restaurants and boutiques. 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. Nearly all of the roughly two dozen people listed as operating the companies are Scientologists. Published: 04:56 GMT, 22 October 2019 | Updated: 08:39 GMT, 22 October 2019. You have well connected, https://m.facebook.com/jobs/job-opening/332924608432320/, Scientology a cult of lies scientology a cult of lies, https://www.mikerindersblog.org/scientology-businesses-in-clearwater/, Dealing With Scientology Critics - L Ron Hubbard Playbook, Buzzazz Business Solutions (Keanan Kintzel), Consumer Sales Solutions (Tom Cummins and Jim Bridgeforth), MGE Management Experts (Luis Colon, Greg Winteregg), Nelson Construction and Renovations (Gregory Nelson), NTC Nationwide Title Clearing (John Hillman, Todd Kugler, Norm Novitsky), Root Cause Medical Clinic (Rick and Vikki Petersen), Ted McGrath Brands (Jasmin Napier daughter-in-law of Mike Napier), The Tub Guy (Randy and Molly Baxter, she is the former CO FOLO EUS), Silkin Management Group (located in Portland OR), USA Tree Service LLC (Jim and Karen Kettner). Companies controlled by Hayes have bought about half the property on Rices block and nearly the entire block directly south. Graphics by ELI MURRAY In 2018, Peter Lares got a call from Fischler, asking if hed sell the prominent building in the center of downtown that houses Emilys Restaurant. 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? For the first time, a majority of the boards members will be Scientologists. Zano did not respond to questions about what his plans for the properties. The Church takes seriously its responsibility and interest in the future of the area. Facebook. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. CONNIE HUMBURG, TRACEY McMANUS, ELI MURRAY, ELI ZHANG | Times. ), Clear Takeover: How Scientology doubled its downtown Clearwater footprint in 3 years, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover. A lot of them are vacant lots, vacant buildings, empty storefronts. Copyright 2019 NPR. 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.'. Did you check your W-2? George Orwell's astonishing novel 1984 depicts a dystopian world that has many remarkable similarities to scientology. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Agami, the developer whose family gave $10 million, leased a storefront to a non-Scientologist that has become a successful restaurant since opening in 2017. It was owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. Though most of the representatives of the 32 companies who purchased the downtown real estate in the past few years, few gave comment on their purchase and claimed Scientology wasnt a factor in the land buy. Scientology is a snitching culture and it's deeply embedded.) Shahab and Catherine Emrani who manage companies that purchased four commercial buildings, retail space in a condo and vacant land have given at least $1.75 million to the church. Then he would try again, with new council members. 'There is nothing unnatural about Scientologists wanting to live in the same city that houses the international spiritual headquarters of their church,' a letter signed by Scientology attorney Gary Soter to the Times said. But now these LLCs tied to Scientology control the retail district. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. Real estate agent Brian Andrus controls seven properties bought around the citys public boat ramp. DeSantis vetoed a $1M Day of Service program that was worth so much more | Column, DeSantis calls for open market to compete with Advanced Placement, Supreme Court weighs Biden student loan plan worth billions, Maple Leafs: Lightning, other division rivals did not spur deal, The youngest Grand Prix of St. Petersburg driver? They posted guards wielding billy clubs and mace. The comments below have not been moderated. If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. This one is owned by a parishioner who had been featured on the churchs Meet a Scientologist video series. After buying eight buildings on and around Cleveland Street in 2018, Moises Agami, a parishioner and developer, now has restaurants, shops and other businesses in 16 of those 20 storefronts. Just how many is tough to fact-check due to the church's many tenuously connected affiliates . Trending; . Internal church documents detailed missions that planted spies in the state attorneys office, the Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Sun newspaper. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So clearly they wanted these properties a great deal. It is now 6PM. The Church of Scientology provided the following statement to DailyMail.com: 'The Times article is simply the latest in its continuing and unending obsession with Scientology and is little more than self-serving propaganda intended to give the appearance of objective reporting without reporting the actual facts to the reader. Looking at the Times map of the new ownership, City Council member David Allbritton recalled a moment from 2017 that now seems telling. Shephard's Beach Resort. Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control.