Will Crystal Cathedral Have to Sell OC Campus to Catholic Diocese?

Secular powers are mobilizing to determine the fate of the Crystal Cathedral megachurch campus in Garden Grove. The OC Register reports that a committee of creditors has filed papers in US Bankruptcy Court to force the Crystal Cathedral to sell the Philip Johnson-designed complex, long-time home to the famous Hour of Power, for the not-so-lofty price of "at least" $50 million. Just ten days ago, reps for the church announced that they would not sell and instead would be seeking donations to work their way out of Chapter 11 purgatory. In the papers filed Tuesday, creditors vow to sue if church insiders block the sale of the property. The creditors also offer a compromise solution: the church's board could select a buyer with the approval of the creditor committee or the creditors could pick a buyer themselves--one who might or might not allow the church to lease or buy back the property. The church has several offers from buyers--the highest being $53.6 million from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. The Diocese believes that the 3,000 seat Crystal Cathedral is a cheaper alternative to a proposed $100 million cathedral project in Santa Ana. The committee mandated that the sale price be at least $50 million--the amount the church said it owed its creditors when it filed for bankruptcy last October. Photo via Wikipedia
· Creditors to Crystal Cathedral: Sell or get sued [OC Register]
· Crystal Cathedral Archives [Curbed LA]