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GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN/Gray News) – An ongoing battle between nationwide RV dealer Camping World and city officials in Greenville, North Carolina has taken another turn.
In an interview Tuesday on local radio station WTIB, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis said he closed one of his two Greenville locations on Friday.
The controversy stems from giant American flags at the businesses that are larger than what the city code allows. But Lemonis has been adamant about not taking them down, despite thousands of dollars in fines from the city.
Lemonis has said that even if he were to be taken to jail over the flags, he still wouldn’t take them down.
However, he acknowledged that the controversy has made an impact on his business. He shuttered the Forest River RV location on Greenville Boulevard on Friday, telling employees it was closing due to the controversy created by the city council.
“We think the ordinance is wrong,” Lemonis said. “I think it’s also wrong council members have been working very actively to disparage my business, and on Friday I had to consolidate modification of two dealerships in town … our business which has been unfortunately impacted uniquely in Greenville NC.”
The Greenville City Council voted 4-2 in March to hire outside legal counsel to sue Lemonis and Camping World.
Lemonis told WITN shortly after the vote that he still would not take down the flag.
“Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail, the flag is not coming down,” he said.
Read More....
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Each Camping World has a revenue of about $29 million a year. As the flags comes down so do the tax revenues, jobs, and ancillary businesses. It should be a $2 million + annual hit in tax revenue for the city / state. The state didn't give a crap, but apparently there are 4 members on the city council that are not fans of the American flag. Camping world prior to all of this blowing up requested that the city council amend the city ordinance to accommodate the flag. They denied it. Camping World tried.
The city council's has two reasons...
It may be interesting to see how the next City Council elections go?
Clearly the world has bigger issues. Are these small people with power looking to exercise it? Anti-American? What is the real reason?
In an interview Tuesday on local radio station WTIB, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis said he closed one of his two Greenville locations on Friday.
The controversy stems from giant American flags at the businesses that are larger than what the city code allows. But Lemonis has been adamant about not taking them down, despite thousands of dollars in fines from the city.
Lemonis has said that even if he were to be taken to jail over the flags, he still wouldn’t take them down.
However, he acknowledged that the controversy has made an impact on his business. He shuttered the Forest River RV location on Greenville Boulevard on Friday, telling employees it was closing due to the controversy created by the city council.
“We think the ordinance is wrong,” Lemonis said. “I think it’s also wrong council members have been working very actively to disparage my business, and on Friday I had to consolidate modification of two dealerships in town … our business which has been unfortunately impacted uniquely in Greenville NC.”
The Greenville City Council voted 4-2 in March to hire outside legal counsel to sue Lemonis and Camping World.
Lemonis told WITN shortly after the vote that he still would not take down the flag.
“Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail, the flag is not coming down,” he said.
Read More....
==========================================================================================
Each Camping World has a revenue of about $29 million a year. As the flags comes down so do the tax revenues, jobs, and ancillary businesses. It should be a $2 million + annual hit in tax revenue for the city / state. The state didn't give a crap, but apparently there are 4 members on the city council that are not fans of the American flag. Camping world prior to all of this blowing up requested that the city council amend the city ordinance to accommodate the flag. They denied it. Camping World tried.
The city council's has two reasons...
- The flag obstructs views... lol - What view? That flag improves the view if anything.
- The flag is a distraction for drivers ... lol
It may be interesting to see how the next City Council elections go?
Clearly the world has bigger issues. Are these small people with power looking to exercise it? Anti-American? What is the real reason?
