This jerk still solicits money from time to time on BET, however the former church he pastored has fallen to the wrecking ball.
Tilton's old church falls to wrecking ball
Farmers Branch leaders focus on ice rink plans, not site's evangelist past
12:55 AM CST on Tuesday, November 11, 2003
By SCOTT STAFFORD / The Dallas Morning News
FARMERS BRANCH ? The Word of Faith church, erected more than 20 years ago, was demolished Monday by the city of Farmers Branch to make way for construction of an ice-skating complex.
As two steam shovels tore into the walls of the structure, city officials said they were eager to proceed with the 95,000-square-foot Dr Pepper StarCenter that will house two skating rinks, eight locker rooms, a concession area, a pro shop and a conference center.
"We are looking forward to what this project is going to mean and the fact that the purchase of this property is of strategic importance as a gateway into the city," said Farmers Branch spokesman Tom Bryson. "What the property used to be has very little importance to where the city is going."
At its height, evangelist Robert Tilton's Word of Faith empire included a congregation of thousands, an adjacent private school and a broadcasting and direct-mail marketing operation. The entire organization generated about $70 million annually, according to court reports in the late '90s.
"I'm sad when any church goes away for the people that were sincere followers ? [but] in this case, followers that didn't realize he wasn't feeding the sheep, he was eating the sheep," said Ole Anthony, president of the Trinity Foundation, a watchdog over the televangelism industry.
In the 1990s, Mr. Tilton's empire collapsed following news reports of widespread fraud, lawsuits from victims who alleged the same and well-publicized divorces from his first and second wives.
Farmers Branch bought the former church and 14.2 acres for $6.3 million in 1999, according to city officials. The city is spending about $149,000 from the hotel-motel tax fund to demolish the 65,000-square-foot, 3,300-seat-church and its adjacent office building. Mr. Tilton built the church about 1980, according to city officials.
Plans originally called for a city convention center in the building, but officials balked at the $7 million price tag for renovation.
City officials plan to sell about $9 million in bonds to fund construction of the StarCenter, which would be repaid using income from the 25-year lease.
Former Farmers Branch Mayor Dave Blair, who served from 1988 to 1996, said he was excited about plans for the site but said its history had no bearing on the city anymore.
"That building was kind of a monument to himself [Mr. Tilton] ? and it was kind of a joke for a while, with the big cross and all that," Mr. Blair said. "Then when it closed down, I don't think anyone paid any attention to it anymore."
Mr. Tilton did not respond to a request for comment through his Tulsa attorney, James Ferris.
E-mail [email protected]