hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater

A scuffed copy of the Koran. But many of those purchased properties remain shuttered or in disuse. 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. And it's also basically the financial nucleus of the entire organization. And Scientology has an interest in keeping that insulated according to former executives that we've interviewed. Andrus helped carry out a plan to stop a Scientologist who had spied on the federal government from turning himself in to the FBI. I mean, how big is the Church of Scientology where you are? His attorney, Louis Zaretsky, wrote in a letter to the Times that Zano is a businessman with vast real estate holdings in Israel, Germany, Poland, New York and Florida who makes investments based on his belief that they will appreciate or otherwise contribute to his long-term goals.. The Church's celebrity members Tom Cruise and John Travolta are known to have estates in Clearwater not far from the Scientology headquarters. It also operates the Fairfield Inn & Suites on Clearwater Beach. Did you do your taxes? I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. Since 2017, limited liability companies tied to the Church of Scientology have scooped up at least 100 properties on or near the downtown waterfront and approximately 60 others in residential. The churchs influence comes from the estimated $3 billion in cash and assets it has collected from its followers. Its like they are trying to control the whole thing.. Church of Scientology campus in Clearwater, Fla. mokee81/iStock The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three. Rebecca and Uri's father is Dr. David Minkoff, a physician and Church of Scientology member, who was partly implicated in Lisa McPherson's 1995 death. Share. #1 of 10 resorts in Clearwater. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. The church now completely controls the heart of the city, save for a few condominium tower and buildings owned by the government, the Tampa Bay Times discovered after reviewing 1,000 deeds and business records, shocking city leaders and residents at the scope of the churchs dominance. 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. Before: This map shows the extent of Scientology owned property in downtown Clearwater Florida in 2016, After: By 2019 the Church had greatly expanded, doubling its footprint and covering 101 acres of land, The Scientology Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida pictured above in 2013. The controversial church 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. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., [ More reaction: What Clearwaters City Council thinks about Scientologys downtown takeover ]. That point is brought home in an editorial ('One Community, Many Good People' ) in the new edition of our Freedom Magazine. 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. June 9, 2022. They keep their operations going. 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. Please consider supporting us with a tax-deductible donation to the Tampa Bay Times Investigative Fund. Since it was founded in 1955, Scientology has purchased hundreds, possibly thousands of buildings. That's the HQ of Scientology. Both have been there for decades. Operatives framed the mayor in a staged hit-and-run and spread false rumors he was having an extramarital affair. I really appreciate you all giving up your time to, Mike was probably getting a slew of YSCOHB texts from DM. Shephard's Beach Resort. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. Audited NOTs (NOT stands for NED [New Era Dianetics] Operating Thetan) 275 reviews #24 of 428 Restaurants in Clearwater $ American Cafe Diner. 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. A deserted coin laundry. 'The true story of downtown development is presented in an article in that Freedom, 'Who Is The Real Block To Downtown Revitalization?' This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. The acquisitions mirror the pattern that unfolded downtown between 2017 and 2019, when companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties within walking distance of the waterfront and the churchs international spiritual headquarters, then left many of those buildings vacant and lots undeveloped. In interviews, sellers said most of the transactions unfolded the same way. Seven businesses have left following recent purchases, and at least three more are leaving this year, including Clearwater Plumbing and Gulf Coast Marine. 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. Internal church documents detailed missions that planted spies in the state attorneys office, the Chamber of Commerce and the Clearwater Sun newspaper. Cruise, 56, is moving into a multimillion-dollar penthouse apartment at The SkyView, a 10 . Thats not happening with almost any of these properties. I think it's comparable to say it's kind of, like, if there were to be a Vatican reporter in Vatican City. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. We don't know if they're just going to continue to squat on them - because they haven't done anything yet. Its members bought property on surrounding blocks. Jim Warren has lived in Clearwater since 1995 with his wife, Cindy, and their two children, Drew and Art. There comes a time when silence is betrayal. - Martin Luther King Jr. Communication is the universal solvent - L Ron Hubbard, When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon. Thomas Paine, "Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. Walking through Clearwater people will find vacant lots, an empty former jewelry store, an dead laundromat and an abandoned Walgreens. But David Kerr, a local real estate agent and parishioner, walked in one day with an offer. Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. Critics of the church say that the Scientology bought the downtown properties to keep the public at bay. Claimed. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. hotels owned by scientologists in clearwater. 307 S Myrtle Ave Frnt, Clearwater, FL 33756-5524 +1 727-446-3354 Website Menu. 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. And he was going to recruit high-end retail to some of the empty storefronts because downtown Clearwater's pretty depressed. 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. in positive and negative effects of coca cola. 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. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. But the aquarium rejected his bid in order to sell it to the city for $4.25 million. Instead, the aquarium sold it to the city in April 2017 for a lot less $4.25 million. They came in under a fake name to buy the Fort Harrison Hotel, a historic hotel right in the center of downtown. 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. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. It is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc., a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology International . Hi, this is Stu, KnowBe4's CEO. Then, the . A few months later, the newcomers admitted they were actually Scientology. Clearwater is the permanent home to more than 10,000 Scientology parishioners. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. In Florida, limited liability companies that buy property are required to disclose administrative operators but not their owners. An elevated walkway connects the building to the Fort Harrison Hotel, the churchs first purchase in the city in 1975. They paid $26 million. I, Scientology cant clear the planet or fix every issue. Florida Hotels and Places to Stay. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. The project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. Argall left the church and was forced to abandon his business of more than 20 years. MCMANUS: Scientology arrived in downtown Clearwater in 1975. In late 2020, Terri Novitsky also was elected to the Downtown Development Board, an advisory group tasked with promoting downtown. I believe its irrational to buy property and not fully utilize it.. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. Scientologys survival depends on the preservation of its headquarters in Clearwater. Whether you're traveling with friends, family, or even pets, Vrbo vacation homes have the best amenities for hanging out with the people that matter most, including swimming pools and air conditioning. Scientologists make up a diverse group in Clearwater. These are the companies and names on this list (put into alphabetical order, I also added what are probably the largest scientology owned businesses in the area KnowB4, NTC, Consumer Sales Solutions and Energy Professionals: Axiom Bahia Property Management (Raul Aleman) Blue Streak Docs (Sam Gendusa) Buzzazz Business Solutions (Keanan Kintzel) 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. In September, Andrus completed construction there on Marina Bay 880, two towers that hug the marina with 87 luxury condos and amenities like an Olympic-sized pool and sauna. Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. 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 . Miscavige cut off communication with the city. It is now 6PM. 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. There's parishioners that come here from all over the world to take courses in high level auditing that's not offered anywhere else. When you stay with us at the Sleep Inn Clearwater-St Petersburg hotel, you can expect stylish accommodations for an affordable rate. 'However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.'. The Church of Scientology and its members are rapidly buying up a vast downtown neighborhood in a Florida city, according to a major investigation by the Tampa Bay Times. Today, 10 years later, the economic influence of Scientologists in the community is commensurately higher. 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. After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. 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. We believe it's important to shed light on a powerful institution that's very controversial and plays a big role in our community. The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. 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. Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. commercial meat slicer rental near me. Scientology founderL. Ron Hubbard called Clearwater its spiritual headquarters. 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. Hes still holding out. 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 . The plan. Did you check your W-2? If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. The new owners also are sitting on about 30 undeveloped lots. Reporters analyzed thousands of rows of data and pulled more than 1,000 records from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, the Pinellas County Clerk of Court and the Florida Division of Corporations.