The Clearwater City Council will vote Sept. 17 on right-of-way requests tied to the $50 million EVO Entertainment complex planned for downtown, a project backed by the Church of Scientology that developers say will house the world’s largest cinema screen.
The vote involves requests from the Church of Scientology to take over portions of Laura and Grove streets and an alleyway needed for the entertainment center at Cleveland Street and Myrtle Avenue, the Tampa Bay Times reported Aug. 21. The requests also involve a city-owned parcel at 103 N. East Ave.
It marks a significant test for the Cleveland Street Alliance’s vision to reshape downtown Clearwater. The alliance is a limited liability company operated by the church with parishioners and development professionals. It announced the project in April.
What’s planned
The two-level, 83,000-square-foot complex would be EVO Entertainment’s flagship location, featuring a seven-screen multiplex anchored by a screen more than 130 feet wide. That would surpass the current world-record holder, the Traumpalast Multiplex in Leonberg, Germany, whose screen measures 127 feet by 69 feet, according to Attractions Magazine.
Developers say every auditorium would be equipped with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, a first for a multiplex worldwide. Beyond movies, the facility would include bowling, laser tag, an arcade and sit-down dining.
Mitch Roberts, founder and CEO of Elevate Entertainment Group, EVO’s parent company, said in an April announcement that the Clearwater venue would be “the first multiplex in the world powered entirely by Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos and anchored by the largest cinema screen on earth spanning more than 130 feet.”
The development is entirely privately funded, according to the alliance. Developers have not announced a construction start date or opening timeline.
The broader context
The September vote comes as the council faces growing scrutiny over land transfers to the Church of Scientology and its affiliates, which have purchased more than 200 properties downtown, many of them vacant.
In June, the council voted 3-2 to vacate a block of South Garden Avenue for the church’s planned L. Ron Hubbard Hall. Council members David Allbritton, Ryan Cotton and Mike Mannino voted yes; Mayor Bruce Rector and Councilwoman Lina Teixeira voted no. The city’s decision followed an earlier proposal to transfer the street in exchange for payment that was later withdrawn. WUSF reported.
A resident group called Save the Garden is collecting signatures on two petitions: one to reverse the decision and another to require voter approval for similar future proposals. The group’s deadline is Sept. 16, and it is seeking 7,000 signatures. Organizer Brooks Gibbs told Axios Tampa Bay in early August: “It’s always the promise of something great in exchange for more land. That’s the game Scientology plays.”
Shifting council makeup
The council taking the vote may soon look different. In the Aug. 18 election, Jared Leone won Seat 4 with more than 53% of the vote, replacing retiring member Allbritton. Seat 5 heads to a Nov. 3 runoff between Sam Wilson and Mark Bunker, a prominent Scientology critic and former council member.
The council approved the Sept. 17 vote after Teixeira raised concerns about scheduling the matter during a week when she and Rector would miss a work session, the Times reported.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Clearwater Main Library downtown. Residents can check the agenda on the city’s website.
