Kinloch’s megachurch bought a $6.6M theater in Southfield, then transferred it to his private company for $1 - Detroit Metro Times

A Megachurch's $6.6M Theater Deal Raises Questions About Rev. Kinloch's Campaign Finance.

Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., a prominent figure in Detroit's megachurch scene, has made several high-profile deals that have raised eyebrows among watchdog groups and local officials. Most notably is his purchase of the former AMC Star Southfield theater for $6.6 million. The deal was finalized just days before he announced his candidacy for Mayor of Detroit.

The transfer of ownership from Triumph Church to Kinloch's private company, Triumph Southfield Property LLC, took place in May 2024 and was executed at a price of $1. However, according to county records obtained by the Metro Times, this sale is riddled with red tape that seems designed to benefit Rev. Kinloch personally.

The transfer, which involved no payment from the church to the private company, has raised questions about whether Rev. Kinloch's non-profit status was exploited for his own financial gain. The decision to transfer ownership of the theater to a private entity has led many to question whether the megachurch will be able to claim its intended exemptions under state law.

In reality, the church and private company are now burdened with millions of dollars in property taxes that it may never pay. This means that if Rev. Kinloch loses his bid for Mayor, he and his family won't have to worry about paying any of this money back to the city. It has raised many questions among local officials who claim that Kinloch is trying to exploit his position as a megachurch leader to enrich himself.

Triumph Church's Chief of Staff Ralph Godbee dismissed these claims stating, "We again have no response to another lie that is not based in fact offered by Robert Davis." However, the activist behind this investigation maintains his theory and believes Kinloch will face consequences for his actions.

As the election nears, the details surrounding Rev. Kinloch's financial dealings are increasingly coming under scrutiny. While he has framed himself as a champion of economic development, many residents wonder if his true focus is on lining his own pockets.

this whole thing is being blown outta proportion, rev kinloch did nothing wrong, he just made a smart business move. $6.6 million for that theater is a steal, and the church will still get its exemption, it's not like he was keeping all that cash for himself . the city should be focusing on more important stuff than this . and btw, what's with all these accusations? can't we just trust the guy to do good in detroit?

so like rev kinloch buys this theater for 1 cent but then the church and private company gotta pay millions in property taxes... that's just wild and what's up with all these "red tape" claims? sounds like someone's trying to spin a narrative either way, it's definitely shady

I'm not totally sure I trust this whole deal ... I mean, $6.6 million for an old theater? That's some serious cash, and it just so happens to be finalized right before he runs for Mayor . Now, I get that Rev. Kinloch is a busy guy, but you've got to wonder if his megachurch is getting more financial help than it should . And let's not forget the whole "no payment" thing – that just seems weird . If he loses the election, I'm pretty sure he won't have to worry about paying all these property taxes back... that doesn't sit right with me . It's always good to keep an eye on these kinds of deals when someone's running for office .

This whole thing just smells fishy to me... like someone's trying to grease the wheels for Rev Kinloch's campaign and line their own pockets in the process I'm not buying it when he says there was no payment made, that's some fancy accounting magic right there. And what really gets my goat is if he loses and doesn't have to pay any of this back... that's just another perk for being a big shot megachurch leader Can we please get to the bottom of this and see what's really going on?

omg have you guys ever been to an AMC theater on payday lol i was at one last week and they had like 3D movie tickets that were literally $10 more than regular ones and it felt so worth it anyway back to this megachurch deal, I'm just wondering how someone can get a theater for 1 dollar and still end up with millions in property taxes tho? like isn't that some kinda loophole or something?

this deal reeks of something fishy, especially since it was finalized right before he announced his mayoral run . how convenient that the transfer of ownership went through with no payment from the church to the private company? it's like they were trying to cook the books . and now the megachurch is stuck with millions in property taxes if kinloch loses his bid... it's just not right . as a detroit resident, i'm tired of seeing our city leaders using their power for personal gain . we deserve better than that!

this guy rev kinloch seems super shady to me. like who buys an expensive theater for like 1 dollar? it just doesn't add up. and now he's running for mayor? that's just great, because what could possibly go wrong when the person in charge is secretly raking in all the cash . i mean, i get it, politicians are supposed to be wealthy, but this is on another level. like, what if he loses the election? does he really think he can just waltz out of paying those millions of dollars in taxes? that's just unfair to everyone else who has to foot the bill .

I'm telling you, this deal reeks of something fishy... like, why would the church sell a $6.6 million theater for pennies? And what's with all these loopholes and red tape that seem to favor Rev Kinloch personally? It's no wonder watchdog groups are going crazy about this. I've got a source (okay, not really ) who says Kinloch is trying to sweeten the deal with city officials if he wins the election... just think of all those 'community development' funds lining his pockets

I'm not sure about this... I mean, it does seem shady how Rev. Kinloch handled the sale of that theater . He's trying to spin it like he did nothing wrong, but those $6.6 million dollars don't exactly add up . And now his church and private company are stuck with a ton of property taxes? That doesn't seem right at all .

On the other hand, I've heard some people say that Rev. Kinloch is just trying to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Detroit . Maybe he's not as bad as everyone thinks... or is he? I mean, shouldn't non-profit organizations be transparent about their finances? It feels like there's some major omission going on here .

I'm torn on this one... can you really blame someone for trying to make a buck in politics? But at the same time, using loopholes to get rich off a deal? That just doesn't sit right with me . Guess I'll have to wait and see how things play out before I make up my mind

I'm kinda confused about this one... it seems like there's some shady stuff going on with Rev Kinloch and the megachurch he leads in Detroit . On one hand, I get that churches are meant to help their communities, but if someone's using their position to personally benefit from a deal, that doesn't sit right with me .

It's also pretty interesting how some people think Rev Kinloch might be trying to exploit his non-profit status for personal gain . But at the same time, it's hard to say whether he's really doing something wrong without more info . Maybe there's a way for the megachurch to still claim its exemptions under state law, even if they're technically a private company now .

What I do think is weird is that some people are accusing him of trying to use his position as Mayor-elect to avoid paying property taxes . But without more proof, it's hard to say whether that's true or not . Maybe the activist behind this investigation has a point, but maybe he's just jumping to conclusions too quickly .

I'm not sure if this is a huge deal or just another example of churches using loopholes to get ahead . I mean, Rev Kinloch's got a lot of money now and it's possible he's planning for the future, but $6.6 million seems like a lot, even for a megachurch. And what's with the weird transfer process? It does seem suspicious that he didn't have to pay anything from Triumph Church to his own company . Maybe there's more to it than just a clever tax strategy?

I'm not ready to jump off the deep end and say Kinloch is definitely corrupt, but at the same time, I don't think it's entirely innocent either . Can we get some clarification on this? Was he trying to help his church or was he just lining his own pockets?

I gotta say , this deal with the megachurch and Rev. Kinloch's private company is getting pretty shady . I mean, $6.6 million for that theater? It's like he's trying to hide something behind all that red tape . And now we're finding out that they're basically going to be stuck with millions in property taxes if he doesn't win the election . That's not right, you know? It sounds like he's trying to use his position for personal gain, and that's just not cool . I'm all about giving people a chance to make a difference, but when it comes down to it, Rev. Kinloch needs to be held accountable .

this all sounds super shady... i mean, $6.6 million for a theater deal that basically makes the church pay property taxes? it's like he's trying to get rich off his megachurch status and not actually help the community. also, what's with the "we have no response" from the church's staff? sounds like they're hiding something... i'll be keeping an eye on this story as it unfolds

This whole thing just got super sketchy . Like, I get it, Rev Kinloch wants to develop the theater and bring in some cash for Detroit's economy, but c'mon, that deal seems like a total scam . If he's not paying any money upfront, what's stopping him from just taking the theater's assets and selling them off himself? And if this is all legit, why hasn't Triumph Church been transparent about the whole thing? I mean, we're talking about a non-profit here, so some transparency would be nice . It's like he's trying to use his church as a front to enrich himself, and that just doesn't sit right with me . The fact that his family won't have to pay any property taxes if he loses the election? That's just sickening . I hope some real journalism gets done on this one and we get to the bottom of it .

I'm getting major concerns about Rev. Kinloch's campaign finance here... It's like, yeah, we get it, he wants to make Detroit great again, but at what cost? I mean, a $6.6M theater deal that basically lets him off scot-free if he loses the election? That doesn't sound right to me. The fact that Triumph Church is now stuck with millions in property taxes if Kinloch wins and has to pay them back if he loses... it's just too suspicious. I'm not saying Kinloch's guilty of anything, but this whole situation needs some serious digging into. We need to know what's really going on here before we can even start talking about economic development.