Scientology's Town

As you may or may not know, Scientology's current headquarters are located in Clearwater, Florida. In fact, they own so much land in Clearwater that some are getting the feeling that they are practically taking over - and that has some concerned.

In the St. Petersburg Times Robert Farley writes:

Scientologists now own more than 200 shops, restaurants, service outlets and small businesses in and around Clearwater's downtown. Many employ fellow Scientologists. ... More growth is coming. Scientologists will open twice as many businesses in the next five years, Reichel predicts. As many as 900 condos and townhouses are to be developed downtown, mostly by Scientologists.

Already the largest property owner downtown, the church next year will open its $50-million Flag Building, sitting on a full city block across from the church's Clearwater icon, the Fort Harrison Hotel. About 6,850 Scientology followers have moved to the Clearwater area, joining the church's 1,400 uniformed employees. It's a community that has grown 20 percent per year in the past decade, according to church tallies. ... After 28 years, Scientologists are on the brink of creating what amounts to a Scientology city in Clearwater's downtown core.

"You can't separate Salt Lake City and the Mormons, and you can't separate Clearwater and Scientology," said Ray Cassano, a Scientologist whose 146-unit downtown condo tower will rise next door to the historic post office. "We may be a bigger presence here because Clearwater is a smaller city."

"It's their town," said lawyer Lou Kwall, whose downtown office afforded a front row seat to watch the church evolve through the decades. "The reality is Scientology is much more in charge of downtown Clearwater than anyone ever anticipated it would be." Here's the critical question, Kwall said: "Are people like me going to stay in downtown Clearwater or will they be run off by an overwhelming number of Scientologists?"

Criticism of Scientology is muted at best — whereas politicians might have at one time leveled strong comments in their direction, today that’s a rarity because of how much pressure the Scientologists are able to exert. Would you want to live in Clearwater under these circumstances?

Read More:

• What is Scientology?
• Scientology News
• Scientology: Critiques