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Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown development

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown development.

Fox 13 Tampa Bay: City and church find common goal in downtown development
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/...urch-find-common-goal-in-downtown-development

Video at link.

Excerpt:
CLEARWATER (FOX 13) -

A pair of studies, considered in tandem, might outline a path to peace in the historically contentious relations between City of Clearwater government and the Church of Scientology, and stimulate downtown redevelopment in the process.

An affinity among Scientology visitors for shopping and dining plays a surprising role in that possibility.

Over the past three decades, the church has built its spiritual headquarters in downtown Clearwater. Tuesday, it provided FOX 13 News with a new economic impact study conducted by Florida State University. That study places the value of direct and indirect Scientology- related spending at $916 million annually, and direct and indirect Scientology-related employment at 7,500 jobs.

In 2013, more than 9,000 Scientologists visited Clearwater for classes, spending about $85 million. That is where the shopping and dining comes into play. According to the study, those visitors spent $16 million on dining and drinking, and nearly $20 million on shopping.

Given the relatively sparse offerings in the downtown area, Mayor George Cretekos confirms retail recruitment is an area church officials want to pursue.

"Our goals are going to be the same," Cretekos said. "We want a vibrant downtown....the church wants to have a downtown for its parishioners."

Clearwater's economic development director confirmed retail recruitment is a task the church is welcome to tackle.

In a prepared statement, the Church of Scientology said: "We are looking forward to working with the City and other key stakeholders to create a downtown that serves the needs of the entire community."

The statement was written last week after an outside panel called the Urban Land Institute published its final report on development strategies for downtown Clearwater. That report stressed the need for building trust and partnerships between the city and the church.
 

Veda

Sponsor
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown development.

Fox 13 Tampa Bay: City and church find common goal in downtown development
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/...urch-find-common-goal-in-downtown-development

Video at link.

Excerpt:

The below video is an excerpt from a 1980 '60 Minutes' program. It features, amongst other things, former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares addressing a gathering of Clearwater citizens: "That destructive cult has to know that sparkling Clearwater is not for sale."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF99yYCE8wI

Soon afterwards were the Clearwater Hearings.

Another video from around 2000 is by Mark Bunker and is called the 'Clearwater Police'. By 2000, Clearwater was succumbing to Scientology's efforts to assert its influence.

(Note: The very last part of above video is a clip from another '60 Minutes' program, fifteen years later, having to do with the Scientology taking over the Cult Awareness Network.)
 
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Type4_PTS

Diamond Invictus SP
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown development.

Fox 13 Tampa Bay: City and church find common goal in downtown development
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/...urch-find-common-goal-in-downtown-development

Video at link.

Excerpt:

CLEARWATER (FOX 13) -

A pair of studies, considered in tandem, might outline a path to peace in the historically contentious relations between City of Clearwater government and the Church of Scientology, and stimulate downtown redevelopment in the process.

An affinity among Scientology visitors for shopping and dining plays a surprising role in that possibility.

Over the past three decades, the church has built its spiritual headquarters in downtown Clearwater. Tuesday, it provided FOX 13 News with a new economic impact study conducted by Florida State University. That study places the value of direct and indirect Scientology- related spending at $916 million annually, and direct and indirect Scientology-related employment at 7,500 jobs.

In 2013, more than 9,000 Scientologists visited Clearwater for classes, spending about $85 million. That is where the shopping and dining comes into play. According to the study, those visitors spent $16 million on dining and drinking, and nearly $20 million on shopping.

Given the relatively sparse offerings in the downtown area, Mayor George Cretekos confirms retail recruitment is an area church officials want to pursue.

"Our goals are going to be the same," Cretekos said. "We want a vibrant downtown....the church wants to have a downtown for its parishioners."

Clearwater's economic development director confirmed retail recruitment is a task the church is welcome to tackle.

In a prepared statement, the Church of Scientology said: "We are looking forward to working with the City and other key stakeholders to create a downtown that serves the needs of the entire community."

The statement was written last week after an outside panel called the Urban Land Institute published its final report on development strategies for downtown Clearwater. That report stressed the need for building trust and partnerships between the city and the church.

I see that more than 9000 Scientologists showed up in Clearwater. Given the role that Flag plays within the Scientology bubble and the urgency needed to Clear the universe, why did only 9000 or so show up? Where's the other 12 million? :unsure:
 

Jump

Operating teatime
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

I see that more than 9000 Scientologists showed up in Clearwater. Given the role that Flag plays within the Scientology bubble and the urgency needed to Clear the universe, why did only 9000 or so show up? Where's the other 12 million? :unsure:

9,000 of them spent 85 million dollars? That's over $9,000 each and I don't believe it unless that's what flag raked directly into Davey's pocket. The money doesn't benefit Clearwater City at all.
 

CommunicatorIC

@IndieScieNews on Twitter
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

9,000 of them spent 85 million dollars? That's over $9,000 each and I don't believe it unless that's what flag raked directly into Davey's pocket. The money doesn't benefit Clearwater City at all.
The article states:
In 2013, more than 9,000 Scientologists visited Clearwater for classes, spending about $85 million. That is where the shopping and dining comes into play. According to the study, those visitors spent $16 million on dining and drinking, and nearly $20 million on shopping.
I can see some possible methodological problems.

If $16 million is spent on dining and drinking, but all of that is spent at Flag restaurants, to what extent does that benefit Clearwater? Yes, the COS has to buy the food and supplies somewhere, but not necessarily locally. And it is not like the COS is paying the SO staff servicing those restaurants anything like a living wage.

Similarly, with respect to the $20 million spend on shopping, I would ask where? At COS facilities, or elsewhere?

As for the rest, $49 million (i.e., $85 million - $16 million - $20 million), I suspect that much, if not most, of that was spent on housing. Again, if it was spent at COS owned hotels paying SO wages, to what extent does that really benefit Clearwater? (I recall a thread on here containing a FB posting telling Scientologists who live in Clearwater that they could NOT rent to Flag public because the COS hotels had to be supported.)
 

Smurf

Gold Meritorious SP
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown development.

This makes me wretch. It's obvious the morons on the Clearwater City Council have not studied the history of dealing with the COS. Cretekos is a true idiot if he believes he can find a "common goal" with the cult. Is he up for re-election soon? Is he trying to secure Scientologist's votes?
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

Historically $cientology always been about infiltration by any means inculcating themselves into Clearwater, FL. Whatever deal is struck with the local city government will only be done with $cientology forwarding it's self-serving agenda entrenching itself deeper within the community.

The worthies of Clearwater forget $cientology hiding behind the assumed business name United Churches of Florida with the operation code name Project Normandy chose Clearwater for a city wide takeover first buying the Ft Harrison Hotel as directed by Elcon.

Dox link: SECRET POWER PROJECT: 3 NORMANDY Ref. GO Order 261175 LRH "POWER" Target 3
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/normandy1.htm

Then there is former Clearwater Mayor Mr. Gabe Cazares. $cientology targeted him with invented smears, false allegations and a felony set up.

St. Petersburg Times (Sep. 30, 2006 ): "For the disadvantaged and against Scientology" by Mike Donila and Robert Farley
http://www.xenu-directory.net/victims/cazares1.html
"Former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares, a civil rights advocate, champion of the disadvantaged and archenemy of the Church of Scientology, died Friday (Sept. 29, 2006). He was 86.

As a politician, Mr. Cazares led the local Democratic Party and won public office at a time when few Hispanics even lived in Pinellas County.

As a community activist, he worked to help the poor and build bridges across racial lines in Clearwater during the early years of integration.

But after the Church of Scientology came to town in late 1975, Mr. Cazares became an outspoken critic. That led Scientologists to hatch plans to smear him with sex allegations and a phony hit-and-run accident.

Mr. Cazares questioned the church's motives, its quiet purchases of downtown property and the way its security guards carried billy clubs and Mace.

"I am unable to understand why this degree of security is required by a religious organization, and my concerns are shared by many other citizens," Mr. Cazares said in January 1976.

Within months, Clearwater was enveloped in a hostile, polarized environment marked by spying, sharp rhetoric, protests and smear tactics - some of them targeting Mr. Cazares.

Federal investigators later found Scientology internal memos outlining plans by church leaders to control public opinion in Clearwater, concoct a sex smear campaign against Mr. Cazares and infiltrate the local media and other institutions.

Scientology documents also revealed that church members had staged a phony hit-and-run accident with Mr. Cazares in an attempt to discredit him."


This interview features Gabe Cazares who was Mayor of Clearwater, Florida when Scientology snuck into the city under an assumed name. Gabe courageously took them on and was savagely attacked by Scientology in numerous covert operations which were later uncovered when the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters.

[video=youtube;eQtH8TLwm30]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQtH8TLwm30[/video]​

What Clearwater doesn't understand is that $cientology is there for $cientology, by whatever means and methods foul and misleadingly fair with forked tongues. The best way to deal with a snake is cutting its head off and I challenge the people of Clearwater to rid yourselves of the $cientology viper hissing lies while hiding behind religious cloaking.


The 1982 Clearwater $cientology Hearings (all 27 videos courtesy of Mark Bunker)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgKni85tiHE&list=PLB8A8C6C0BFB607D1
 
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Churchill

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

Historically $cientology always been about infiltration by any means inculcating themselves into Clearwater, FL. Whatever deal is struck with the local city government will only be done with $cientology forwarding it's self-serving agenda entrenching itself deeper within the community.

The worthies of Clearwater forget $cientology hiding behind the assumed business name United Churches of Florida with the operation code name Project Normandy chose Clearwater for a city wide takeover first buying the Ft Harrison Hotel as directed by Elcon.

Dox link: SECRET POWER PROJECT: 3 NORMANDY Ref. GO Order 261175 LRH "POWER" Target 3
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/normandy1.htm

Then there is former Clearwater Mayor Mr. Gabe Cazares. $cientology targeted him with invented smears, false allegations and a felony set up.

St. Petersburg Times (Sep. 30, 2006 ): "For the disadvantaged and against Scientology" by Mike Donila and Robert Farley
http://www.xenu-directory.net/victims/cazares1.html
"Former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares, a civil rights advocate, champion of the disadvantaged and archenemy of the Church of Scientology, died Friday (Sept. 29, 2006). He was 86.

As a politician, Mr. Cazares led the local Democratic Party and won public office at a time when few Hispanics even lived in Pinellas County.

As a community activist, he worked to help the poor and build bridges across racial lines in Clearwater during the early years of integration.

But after the Church of Scientology came to town in late 1975, Mr. Cazares became an outspoken critic. That led Scientologists to hatch plans to smear him with sex allegations and a phony hit-and-run accident.

Mr. Cazares questioned the church's motives, its quiet purchases of downtown property and the way its security guards carried billy clubs and Mace.

"I am unable to understand why this degree of security is required by a religious organization, and my concerns are shared by many other citizens," Mr. Cazares said in January 1976.

Within months, Clearwater was enveloped in a hostile, polarized environment marked by spying, sharp rhetoric, protests and smear tactics - some of them targeting Mr. Cazares.

Federal investigators later found Scientology internal memos outlining plans by church leaders to control public opinion in Clearwater, concoct a sex smear campaign against Mr. Cazares and infiltrate the local media and other institutions.

Scientology documents also revealed that church members had staged a phony hit-and-run accident with Mr. Cazares in an attempt to discredit him."


This interview features Gabe Cazares who was Mayor of Clearwater, Florida when Scientology snuck into the city under an assumed name. Gabe courageously took them on and was savagely attacked by Scientology in numerous covert operations which were later uncovered when the FBI raided Scientology's headquarters.

[video=youtube;eQtH8TLwm30]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQtH8TLwm30[/video]​

What Clearwater doesn't understand is that $cientology is there for $cientology, by whatever means and methods foul and misleadingly fair with forked tongues. The best way to deal with a snake is cutting its head off and I challenge the people of Clearwater to rid yourselves of the $cientology viper hissing lies while hiding behind religious cloaking.


The 1982 Clearwater $cientology Hearings (all 27 videos courtesy of Mark Bunker)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgKni85tiHE&list=PLB8A8C6C0BFB607D1


The political corruption and criminal behavior that Scientology engages in would not be possible without two things:

1. An incurious media that has little concern for serving the public interest.

Tobin & Childs are the exceptions.

2. Massive public ignorance concerning the purpose and functions of government.

Most Americans can't name the three branches of Government.
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
Re: Clearwater City and Church of Scientology find common goal in downtown developmen

The political corruption and criminal behavior that Scientology engages in would not be possible without two things:

1. An incurious media that has little concern for serving the public interest.

Tobin & Childs are the exceptions.

2. Massive public ignorance concerning the purpose and functions of government.

Most Americans can't name the three branches of Government.

Blaming Americans for their education or supposed lack thereof is a non sequitur and isn't germane to the topic. The issue at hand is the cult. The problem is and you're right pointing this out is a lack of continual informed factual broad public awareness regarding $cientology's destructive criminal cultist activities past and present. Clearwater forgets it is making deals with the devil repeatedly and $cientology has no intention of getting along with anyone, they want control and power to the detriment of anyone standing in their way.
 
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