How to declare a local variable in Razor?

I think you were pretty close, try this:

@{bool isUserConnected = string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.CreatorFullName);}
@if (isUserConnected)
{ // meaning that the viewing user has not been saved so continue
    <div>
        <div> click to join us </div>
        <a id="login" href="javascript:void(0);" style="display: inline; ">join here</a>
    </div>
}

I think the variable should be in the same block:

@{
    bool isUserConnected = string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.CreatorFullName);
    if (isUserConnected)
    { 
        // meaning that the viewing user has not been saved
        <div>
            <div> click to join us </div>
            <a id="login" href="javascript:void(0);" style="display: inline; ">join</a>
        </div>
    }
}

You can also use:

@if(string.IsNullOrEmpty(Model.CreatorFullName))
{
...your code...
}

No need for a variable in the code

Not a direct answer to OP's problem, but it may help you too. You can declare a local variable next to some html inside a scope without trouble.

@foreach (var item in Model.Stuff)
{
    var file = item.MoreStuff.FirstOrDefault();

    <li><a href="@item.Source">@file.Name</a></li>
}