The Florida city of Clearwater, home to the controversialChurch 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…