Flag Building It includes a 15-story tower topped by a bronze Scientology cross visible from much of Clearwater. Construction began in 1998, was halted in 2003, and was ultimately resumed to reach substantial completion during 2011. The long delay in construction led to substantial fines being levied by the city authorities. The building is valued at $80 million and at least $145 million has been raised by Church fundraising towards the project. The church denies accusations that the Flag Building's completion was deliberately delayed so that it could serve as a cash cow. The Church of Scientology announced in August 2013 that
Scientology in Germany by a large number of independent associations or "Vereine" in Germany; their umbrella organisation is the "Scientology Kirche Deutschland e.V." Germany's domestic intelligence service, the "Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz" ("BfV", or Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution), estimates that there are 4,000 Scientologists in Germany, down from earlier estimates of 5,000 to 6,000. The Church of Scientology reported around 30,000 members from the mid-1990s onwards; this number remained stable for many years. However more recently Scientology has said it has only 12,000 members. Discrepancies in Scientology membership numbers arise because the Church of Scientology applies more inclusive criteria in