Norm Novitsky hung up when asked by a reporter about the companies plans. Fischler offered Bosi $1.4 million, almost three times what the property was valued. (CBRE) in April 2016. MCMANUS: The reason Scientology has such an outsized influence is because of the cash and assets it has, which is estimated to be $3 billion. He is linked to the Church of Scientology via the Epsteins and Trish Duggan. In 2016, city consultants began planning what has become a $64 million effort to reinvigorate the waterfront called Imagine Clearwater. But after a dispute with the city, Miscavige cut communication. Defectors have said they were paid less than $50 a week. The church has shed no light on its plans. And he was going to build an entertainment complex with Tom Cruise. Businesses without ties to the church are moving into a few of those. Advance! It bought a hotel and wrote plans to take control of the city. 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. 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. The churchs influence comes from the estimated $3 billion in cash and assets it has collected from its followers. 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. The city, meanwhile, moved ahead on its now-$84 million Imagine Clearwater project, a plan to transform the city-owned downtown waterfront with an outdoor amphitheater, a garden, bluff walk and plaza. 1. Right now, at least 30 businesses owned by non-parishioners are renting from Scientologists. A lot of them are vacant lots, vacant buildings, empty storefronts. Xenu Who? Thank you for having us. Nearly all of the properties were bought through limited liability companies, which are required to disclose their operators but not their owners. "I do not want to be associated . Brokers who are Scientologists approached at least 15 downtown owners about unlisted properties. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So tell me about these land purchases. 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.. Why does this matter? After FBI raids uncovered the infiltrations, city officials launched their own investigations. A uniformed member of Scientologys full-time work force, the Sea Org, walks along N Fort Harrison Avenue, passing a vacant restaurant. His wife, parishioner and real estate agent, Terri Novitsky, represented the buyer in many of the deals, according to interviews with sellers. Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. And the mayor at the time, Gabe Cazares, really raised the alarm. The downtown and North Marina properties bought by limited liability companies managed or operated by members of Scientology remain on the tax rolls. 20, 2019. In Mesa, its the Mormon Church that dominates the area and I was able to work in that environment. GARCIA-NAVARRO: That's Tracey McManus, who reports on Scientology for the Tampa Bay Times, talking about the church's increased real estate footprint in Clearwater, Fla. Both have been there for decades. I had to make a decision, Bosi said. But the promised downtown revival never came. ARKWRIGHT ROAD LIMITED Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown.. . (Everything owned by parishioner-run companies is still on the tax rolls. So we kept our eye on the downtown purchases. Its important for me to communicate with the Scientologists in Clearwater and have that ability to work side-by-side, Riley said, also noting he is now based in Clearwater. And it's all surrounding the city's downtown waterfront. Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter. Both the Church of Scientology and GPB Capital denied it. We previously reported on CA South Development. If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. Rabid Cult: Scientology Bites Dog Food Company; Attacks Cream Cheese; and Screams at Rolling Stone Magazine, Podcast with Aaron Smith-Levin: Grant Cardone Lawsuit Update & David Gentile Criminal Case. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard had written about doing away with governments and replacing them with a Scientology-run society. Asked directly whether Scientology orchestrated or paid for any of the sales, the church did not answer. NIO's stock slumped toward a 2 1/2-year low, after the China-based EV maker reported a much wider-than-expected loss and revenue that fell short of forecasts. The only record of redevelopment that has occurred among the 45 properties is a roof replacement on a vacant building on North Fort Harrison Avenue and internal demolition in a former flooring center two blocks north, according to notices in Pinellas County records. The analysis did not include residential parcels except in cases where they were bought in conjunction with commercial property or vacant land. And the Times found that in six cases buyers paid quadruple a propertys value. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. If Epsteins client was not the Church of Scientology then who is his client? Flag is run by the churchs full-time workforce, the Sea Org, whose members sign billion-year contracts and work around the clock. And Scientology has an interest in keeping that insulated according to former executives that we've interviewed. 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. While theres no law against hanging onto property, developers typically buy land, build on it and sell it for profit. Its designed not for recruiting new members but for hosting established followers. Osman Ozsan has been a Scientologist since the 1990s. In addition to a park and amphitheater, Imagine Clearwater also calls for several new projects on the waterfront with residences and retail. 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.It is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc., a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology International.. The spa's website makes it clear that, "In fact, we are, by definition, a Christian based business.". Osman Ozsan is of interest to us because he is connected to Rod Riley, a non-Scientologist realtor and real estate developer from Arizona. In the world of scientologywhere anything goes and all laws in the wog world by damnedits Christmas 24/7. And yes, everyone that works here is asked to keep politics and religion out . Longtime City Manager Bill Horne said he cant tell whether the church wants the same thing. Weve spent a lot of happy years here, Lares said. They came in under a fake name to buy the Fort Harrison Hotel, a historic hotel right in the center of downtown. Instead, the aquarium sold it to the city in April 2017 for a lot less $4.25 million. DEUTERIUM INVESTMENT ADVISORS LIMITED Copyright 2023 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown. He shows up in Clearwater from Arizona a few months ago. Over half are owned or operated by Scientologists. Soters comment evokes for us what Captain Renault said in Casablanca: Im shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!. Hibbard previously served as Mayor from 2005 until 2012, leaving office because of term limits. It was owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Businesses might see this city project and say, yeah, let me take a chance on downtown and open up a business. MCMANUS: Yeah, that's a good question. If our work stats did not improve day to day . Among them was to make Clearwater known as the first Scientology city in the world.. Where did all that money come from? He is not listed on the corporate filings for any of the eight limited liability companies that recently bought the North Marina properties. He demanded to see their financials, their board of directors. Even as Scientologys footprint expanded, and nearby Clearwater Beach became one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, downtown businesses struggled to stay open. He walked away with nothing. A few months later, the newcomers admitted they were actually Scientology. All 45 North Marina properties were purchased by companies managed or operated by two longtime members of Scientology: Steven Hayes, an attorney who has done legal work on behalf of church related organizations for more than two decades, and Norm Novitsky, a businessperson who has donated at least $5 million to Scientology. It met his criteria: It was located in a warm climate near an international airport and had a hotel the Sea Org could turn into a base. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have spent $103 million since 2017 buying about 100 properties. The churchs hostility toward the public became clear from its first days in the city in fall 1975. Should we cut my sister out of the family inheritance? At least eight businesses that got new landlords tied to Scientology moved out and have not been replaced. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. He wanted the council to stop trying to buy a vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. Local TV station WTSP reports. The more its isolated and doesnt have people who are non-Scientologists around the area, the better.. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. I dont know what their plan is.. Its like they are trying to control the whole thing.. 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. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. This is a very interesting report. 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. And $99 million of the $103 million in real-estate deals over the past three years were in cash. They now own most commercial property. But even when the church isnt in control, its presence can deter development. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. EMPIRICAL PROSPECTING COMPANY LIMITED. The church promised to spend $55 million. Almost all of the properties were quietly bought through limited liability companies required to disclose their operators but not their owners as is pretty standard in real estate. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. Investigative journalism like this is the most expensive work that we do. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. City officials are trying to make the area a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. The church attracts members through a theology of self improvement and understanding. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Who are they buying from, and how much were they offering? The property wasnt on the market. They were very secretive, he said. The city wants to turn downtown into a regional destination for food, drink and entertainment. In 2002, she was listed as an international deputy of a committee tasked with disseminating Scientology doctrine. I saw a business opportunity, he said. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. Thank you very much. In a letter, the church said the Times is misinterpreting Scientology policy and that other religions also practice shunning. Miscaviges offer to revitalize downtown hinged on the city ending its attempt to buy one vacant lot on which the church was also bidding. (On Sunday, the Tampa Bay Times reported that since 2017, companies run by members of Scientology bought another 86 downtown commercial properties. It is a big faux pas in business PR to bring up the subject of religion when it is absolutely unnecessary to do so. David Gentile is creative with money and had hundreds of bank accounts and sub-funds when he ran GPB Capital. Real estate offices, vitamin shops and vacant storefronts fill prime locations that in a more vibrant downtown might hold breweries, restaurants and boutiques. City Council member Mark Bunker said although the church is not the official buyer of the downtown and North Marina properties, there is reason to believe Scientology leader David Miscavige is orchestrating the parishioner-operated companies making the acquisitions. We don't know what they're planning to do with the properties. Half the sales were for more than double what the properties were valued at by the county property appraiser. The Times described sales as cash transactions when they were paid without a mortgage filed in public records. Visitors are expected to stay in Scientologys hotels and eat at private church restaurants. David Gentile is creative with money and had hundreds of bank accounts and sub-funds when he ran GPB Capital. They keep their operations going. Fischler, a local real estate agent, negotiated at least 10 of the downtown deals, according to interviews with sellers. Please! pauline hanson dancing with the stars; just jerk dance members; what happens if a teacher gets a dui Lee sold when Fischler upped her offer to $410,000 cash for the building valued at $109,000 by the property appraiser. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them "flies in the face of most land economics," said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. His partner is Scientologist Maria Dolores Gregori Fuster. It appears that Project Normandy is still operational. Although Zano is not well known in Clearwater, the companies spent $16.7 million acquiring 26 commercial properties downtown. Ever since Ive been here, and ever since Ive dealt with Scientology officials, I have heard the leaders articulate that they want to see a vibrant downtown, Horne said. Fuster and Ozsan go back a long way to Altea Real Property Ltd. in London. No one from the church dictates to me what to buy, what to sell, what to do., From the archives (May 2019):A supposed Scientology cruise ship is quarantined in St. Lucia over measles. However, this tactic can backfire when it comes across as answering a question no one has asked. Scientology members fuel another land-buying surge in Clearwater Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in. My true love gave to me/Three French hens/Two turtle doves/And a partridge in a pear tree). We are an equal opportunity employer and fully EEOC compliant. Nearly two years after the properties were sold to a company run by two Scientologists, no redevelopment plans have been submitted. MCMANUS: Well, our reporting shows that Scientology has a big interest in preserving its downtown campus. And the properties cover about 100 acres. That's the findings of a story in the Tampa Bay Times that's headlined clear takeover. 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. Council members were less delighted by the discovery, however especially since many of the lots and storefronts purchased by owners with Scientology ties are sitting vacant while the Clearwater City Council aims to turn the downtown waterfront into a dining and entertainment destination. 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. Scientologists Brett Miller and Joanie and Steve Sigal recommended Frank Hibbard for Mayor. Zano did not respond to questions about what his plans for the properties. Since 2017, the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have bought 92 properties around the center of downtown. Limited liability companies managed by Hayes, the attorney whos done work on behalf of the church, bought almost the entire square block directly east of the North Ward school. Coincident with this Riley-registered RSR Capital Advisors as an LLC in Florida on March 21, 2022. These workers sign billion year contracts, are paid very little, work around the clock. Delk described the projects which require voter approval as key to the plans success. Suspicion swirled. She reported full-time for six months, interviewing more than 90 people and reviewing more than 1,000 documents, to bring you this story. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. Scientology has said it has 10 million followers, but surveys and accounts from former members suggest there are no more than 30,000 worldwide. 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