Church of Scientology not joining in on regeneration projects around its Clearwater headquarters, locals claim
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The Florida city of Clearwater, home to the controversial Church of Scientology’s international headquarters, is undergoing a wave of urban regeneration, but questions remain about the church’s role in this renewal.
New city-funded construction is underway across the downtown area, including a hotel, retail spaces, and a long‑planned bus station, as well as a $31.6m city hall scheduled to open in October.
However, swathes of this area are owned by the Church of Scientology, and despite the organisation’s representatives promising forthcoming “major announcements” about plans to assist with regeneration, city officials reportedly remain largely in the dark.
The church’s influence over Clearwater has grown since 2013, when it moved its spiritual HQ from California to Clearwater, building a $145m 15-storey tower which occupies an entire city block. Since then, the church has continued to make major investments in real estate in the city, now controlling more than 200 properties in downtown Clearwater.
The scale of the church’s portfolio has created friction in the city, particularly because many of the buildings it owns have remained empty despite years of urging from city officials.
Read more https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/scientology-real-estate-clearwater-florida-b2937139.html
Content retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/scientology-real-estate-clearwater-florida-b2937139.html.
