What to know about Clearwater's fight over Scientology land deal
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The Flag Building, which anchors the Church of Scientology's headquarters in downtown Clearwater. Photo: Getty Images
A group of residents is trying to reverse a recent Clearwater City Council vote to give a block of a downtown street to the Church of Scientology to expand its spiritual headquarters.
Why it matters: It's the latest flashpoint in a struggle over Clearwater's fraught downtown, where the church and companies tied to it own around 200 properties.
- It's also a major issue driving the city's upcoming elections, in which five candidates are competing for two Council seats.
The big picture: Many properties tied to the church have sat vacant with no public-facing plan — until recently, when a church-affiliated group kicked off renovations to historic buildings along downtown's main drag.
- The Cleveland Street Alliance announced in the last month that the Michelin-adjacent Tastes Pretty Good restaurant group would open two new restaurants on the strip.
- The alliance has also touted plans for an entertainment center it says will feature "the largest cinema screen in the world."
Yes, but: Resident backlash to another church-affiliated project — and a key City Council vote that advanced it— underscores a continuing skepticism of Scientology's presence downtown.
State of play: Resident group Save the Garden is seeking to undo a City Council decision to give the church a portion of a public roadway and require future similar proposals to go before voters for approval.
- The group is working to collect 7,000 signatures on two petitions, WUSF reported. The deadline is Sept. 16, organizer Brooks Gibbs said in a recent update.
Catch up quick: City Council members voted 3-2 in June to give a block of South Garden Avenue to the church to build a long-planned auditorium and plaza to be named after its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
- The vote came after a year of debate that drew the attention of Attorney General James Uthmeier, who last year sent city leaders an unsolicited legal opinion warning them against potential religious discrimination, per the Times.
- Then, in response to a request by City Council member David Allbritton, Uthmeier gave a second opinion that the church "most likely owns" the land beneath the street.
That cleared the way for the Council vote that not only granted church officials' request for the road but gave it to them for free, the Times reported.
- Council member Mike Mannino, who voted in support along with members Allbritton and Ryan Cotton, said during the meeting that it was "time that we find a way in our city to unite."
- Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, who opposed the transfer with council member Lina Teixeira, said the street "is important for our future growth" and that a court should determine who owns the land.
What they're saying: The Council chose Scientology's "dangling carrot" of development over public interest, Save the Garden's Gibbs told WUSF.
- "It's always the promise of something great in exchange for more land. That's the game Scientology plays."
The other side: A church spokesperson told the radio station the street vacation is necessary for the long-planned project, which a church attorney previously said will be open to the public.
- "The real story," the spokesperson said, "is the unprecedented revitalization now underway on Cleveland Street."