Officials in Clearwater, Florida, have voted to close a block of public road and hand it over to the Church of Scientology, prompting anger among local residents. The narrow three-to-two vote on 18 June clears the way for the church to use the stretch of South Garden Avenue for a large event hall to be named after Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, despite more than a year of opposition. The decision matters because critics see it as further evidence of the group's expanding grip on the downtown area.

A residents' group called Save The Garden, backed by thousands of petition signatories, is challenging the ruling, arguing the acquisition is the latest step in tightening the church's hold over the city. According to WUSF, the Church of Scientology already owns more than 200 properties across downtown Clearwater, many of which locals say sit vacant and have turned the once-lively area into a "ghost town". The affected block borders the church's sizeable headquarters, and church members argue that permanently closing the street would make the planned auditorium safer.