Since I've lived here in Clearwater for over a year now, I believe I can sort of guage how much business Scientology has at the Fort Harrison Hotel and the surrounding buildings. I'd say it's very slim.

I see way more staff running around than any publics, especially anyone coming in from out of town. Now it's true, I can only see people who are moving from one building to another, but still, if there were a lot of publics here they should be noticable on the streets or getting on and off the Scientology vans. It ain't happening.

Scientology owns 5 smallish motels around downtown Clearwater. All 5 of these are essentially empty as far as I can tell whenever I go by. Despite this, they are working on new accomodations just next to the Sandcastle, which will have another 75 rooms.

But I have to wonder who these rooms are for? There certainly doesn't seem to be a huge rush of people coming into Clearwater for Scientology services. What is the need for these new accomodations?

Well, I guess it's preparation for when the Super Power building is done. But this just baffles me. If few people are coming now to the Mecca of Scientology services, why would there suddenly be a rush of customers when a building opens up? The Super Power process is not necessary for the route up the bridge, right? So why would there be a rush of Scientologists taking the course? Where are the staff going to come from?

This new building is 6 floors of an entire city block, remember.

Just to pay the air conditioning on this sucker is going to require quite a few customers.

The Super Power building project officially began in November 1998 (http://groundbreaking.scientology.org). Recently Ben Shaw stated that it will be another 2 years before the project is completed. That puts it at around summer of 2003, or almost 5 years to complete! I watch the progress of the building, and it is very slow. I'd guess on average there are about 20 people working on this building, which is about 3 people per floor! No wonder it's taking so long.

And yet, these new apartments were being worked on like crazy. I saw a gathering of the workers one morning and it looked like about 60 people were there. They work weekends. They are busy (and almost done). So why is the Super Power building construction so slow?

I have a theory. I think it is because, once it's done, it has to open. And once it opens, it will need to have staff. And once there is staff there will need to be customers. And I don't think there will be more than a trickle. And that will look bad. So, to delay the inevitable day when it is seen that Scientology paid about $42 million for a building that is not being used, the project is put on a slow track.

Also, construction is viewed in Scientology as a Big Win, at least from my viewpoint as an outsider. If you can't crow about membership expansion, you can crow about a New Building. If you can't point to more and more missions and orgs, you can at least point to a new movie studio. If you can't show a growing influence in society, you can show a growing property list.

From all indications I see, Scientology is not growing in membership. If Clearwater has the same number of Scientologists coming into town for services when the Super Power building opens as there is now, that's going to be one lonely building. And you as a Scientologist may wonder what the heck your leaders just did with $42 million of your church's money.
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When a Scientology staffer used a syringe to force a mixture of aspirin, Benadryl and orange juice into McPherson's throat while others held her down, it was "spiritual sustenance," the church argues.

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