Die Businessweek hat einen umfangreichen Artikel über das Konglomerat „Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints“. Anlass Artikel ist die Eröffnung eines Einkaufszentrums, das „the Church“ für 2 Milliarden Dollar in Salt Lake City hat bauen lassen:

„One, two, three –let's go shopping!“

– Thomas S. Monson, „Prophet, Seher und Offenbarer“ der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage.

Mormons make up only 1.4 percent of the U.S. population, but the church's holdings are vast. First among its for-profit enterprises is DMC, which reaps estimated annual revenues of $1.2 billion from six subsidiaries, according to the business information and analysis firm Hoover's Company Records (DNB). Those subsidiaries run a newspaper, 11 radio stations, a TV station, a publishing and distribution company, a digital media company, a hospitality business, and an insurance business with assets worth $3.3 billion.

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„There are religious groups that own radio stations, but they don't also own cattle ranches. There are religious groups that own retreats, but they don't also own insurance companies,“ says Ryan Cragun, a sociology professor at the University of Tampa and co-author of the recently published book Could I Vote for a Mormon for President? „Given their array of corporate interests, it would probably make more sense to refer to them as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Holdings Inc.“

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These days Mormons use their businesses in part to spread church values. „I think the reason to have businesses is to communicate and try and have influence, whether it's through a book, or through a blog, or a website, or a TV station, or radio stations, a newspaper, whatever it is,“ says Dew, who has courted controversy in the past for her views opposing gay marriage. „We here at Deseret Book think families are important, and kids are important, marriage is important, and values are important ... and if there are ways we can communicate it, whether through nonfiction or fiction, we want to do it.“

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Micah Nickolaisen, a 29-year-old photographer and devout Mormon, says City Creek catalyzed his growing concern about the church's corporate empire. He worries that the church gives too little money to humanitarian causes, even though its leaders like to boast about Mormon welfare programs. „They spent more money on a mall in three years than they did in 25 on humanitarian aid,“ says Nickolaisen. These Mormons spoke on the record despite fear of repercussions from family, friends, and church authorities.