companies owned by scientologists in clearwatercompanies owned by scientologists in clearwater

A Scientology Based Company in Clearwater tried to Hire me and lie to me (VIDEO) So I just moved down to the clearwater area and I'm new to knowing that this is the "mecca" for scientology programs. Cazares responds with an $8 million libel suit. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. What Clearwaters City Council thinks, Scientologys 40 years of conflict with Clearwater, recapped, See a slideshow of all the churchs buildings. . Florida migrant flights lawsuit dismissed in wake of Legislature passing law, Editorial Cartoons for Thursday from Times Wire Services, Bucs new coordinator is confident! 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 church promised to spend $55 million. The church, its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. Andrus helped carry out a plan to stop a Scientologist who had spied on the federal government from turning himself in to the FBI. Rice said hes been surprised that he has not been approached by brokers trying to buy his 10,000-square-foot building. Scientologists living in Clearwater span the gamut of professional life . The impact is clearest in the heart of downtown. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. But companies controlled by different parishioners bought neighboring properties that create clear assemblages of land. Gentile also purchased several Clearwater companies owned by Scientologists who may have invested the proceeds into land deals. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. MCMANUS: Yeah, I think that the key here is the uncertainty. Even city leaders said they didnt know the full extent of the purchases until they were shown maps created by the Times. We believe it's important to shed light on a powerful institution that's very controversial and plays a big role in our community. Some have donated millions to the church. Rileys Clearwater Marina District development has a $350 million price tag on it. (Guess he hasnt seen the game tapes), US Supreme Court refuses to block Florida execution of Donald Dillbeck, Red-hot USF women close out home schedule with explosive offensive showing, Editorial Cartoons for Thursday from Times Wire Services, Church of Scientologys presence in Pinellas County, 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, Typhoon cancels Clearwaters sister city visit to Nagano. Right now, at least 30 businesses owned by non-parishioners are renting from Scientologists. 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. At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. Fischler did not respond to phone messages, a certified letter or a note left at her condo. Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Tallahassee murder, Held without charge, a Miami inmates unborn child asks court for release in odd case, One step led Tampa runner, Gasparilla entrant to big weight loss, huge life gains, Hillsborough must right-size its school system | Editorial, companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties, Winter the dolphin died of twisted intestines, necropsy report confirms. I mean, how big is the Church of Scientology where you are? Visitors walk through downtown on a Friday. But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. (SOUNDBITE OF CHICK COREA'S "RETURN TO FOREVER"). Good luck on that. We built a graphic demonstrating just how little is left. 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. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. There is no discrimination for or against *any* religion. The Times report describes spaces such as a former jewelry store, an empty Walgreens and a deserted laundromat sitting empty and unused. Indeed, Scientology used the name The United Churches of Florida to purchase the Fort Harrison in 1975 for $3 million in cash. February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. synergy rv transport pay rate; stephen randolph todd. Real estate agent Daphna Fischler, a Scientologist, called and showed up to the shop a handful of times in mid-2018. Story by TRACEY McMANUS The lack of action from Scientology-tied buyers has precedent. Mayor George Cretekos listens at a City Council meeting in April 2017 as residents pushed the council to purchase a vacant lot that Scientology also wanted. 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 . 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. Times Staff WritersOct. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. The US average revenue of a car dealership is $38.3 million. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. A broker is trying to buy the building Peter and Emily Lares have owned for decades. 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. Andrus was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Scientologys government espionage scheme, which sent 11 Scientologists to federal prison. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. Tampa Bay Times reporter Tracey McManus has spent the last four years writing about Scientology and the churchs relationship with the city of Clearwater. They now own most commercial property. Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. 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. You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear, he said, so its tough to make economic sense out of it.. On Sept. 7, Epsteins employee was removed from the corporate filings of the company that own the land. Businesses without ties to the church are moving into a few of those. NIO stock swings lower after reporting losses that were much wider than expected, 3Ms stock surges after company says DOD data show 90% of earplug plaintiffs had normal hearing, Marc Benioffs Salesforce fairy tale is crumbling down around him. The church requires followers to shun family members, friends and business contacts who defy it. Osman Ozsan is, in our opinion, one of the more notable Scientologists youve never heard of. 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. The 1.4 acre lot was across the street from City Hall and adjacent to a 13-story Scientology religious retreat. CEO Approval. The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a . Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in sight. Please! 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. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And we reached out to the Church of Scientology about the Tampa Bay Times report. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have spent $103 million since 2017 buying about 100 properties. Business Outlook. The church stopped communicating with the city. 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. 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. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Copyright 2019 NPR. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. He has also lived in Hong Kong and South Korea. In response, the Tampa Bay Times received a letter signed by Scientology attorney Gary Soter that read: There is nothing unnatural about Scientologists wanting to live in the same city that houses the international spiritual headquarters of their church. Scientologists from across the globe make pilgrimages to the campus, called Flag. 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. The inn had stood empty since being damaged in a 1989 arson fire and the Church of Scientology acquired the land in 1991 after it had been purchased by local property developer Terence J. McCarthy, the owner of T.J.M. 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 project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. The greatest number of properties were bought by companies controlled by either Israeli businessman Itzhak Zano or another Scientologist who represents him. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. GARCIA-NAVARRO: And I guess the larger concern is that this could really thwart the city's plans for redevelopment if the Scientologist organizations are going to have all this property that they're going to keep for their own purposes. Times investigative reporters pored over 1,000 deeds and business records, and interviewed more than 90 people, to connect the dots from the church buying its first hotel in the area in 1975, to Scientologists and their businesses now owning 185 properties covering 101 acres in the heart of downtown Clearwater which is also Scientologys headquarters, and home to its flag campus, to which Scientologists across the globe make pilgrimages. I saw a business opportunity, he said. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. They adopted a master plan in 2016 that envisioned housing, a hotel and shopping to complement what they hope will be Clearwaters revitalized downtown less than a mile to the south. That's the findings of a story in the Tampa Bay Times that's headlined clear takeover. 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. Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Times with an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology. MCMANUS: Right - because the city officials have said that there's only so many factors they control. Lares declined again when Fischler met him at a restaurant in Pinellas Park for lunch, and once more when she tried in May. It is headed by David Miscavige [1] . Although Zano is not well known in Clearwater, the companies spent $16.7 million acquiring 26 commercial properties downtown. Thats not happening with almost any of these properties., But Tal Ezra, a Scientologist who recently bought four parcels of land in downtown Clearwater, told the Times that he has plans for an office space and a retail shop. 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. "You have some buyers here that their motivations are not really clear," he said, "so it's tough to make economic sense out . Epstein declined to name his client but responded to questions from the Timeswith an affidavit declaring it was not the Church of Scientology.

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