A nationwide RV seller is in sizzling water once more for flying a mammoth American flag at one among its heaps — and firm CEO Marcus Lemonis of TV’s “The Revenue’’ says this one isn’t coming down, both.
Tenting World — which runs greater than 250 RV dealerships throughout the nation — raised the brand new gigantic flag at its Greenville, NC, location in October, in accordance with WLBT.
Native zoning officers say the Stars and Stripes fluttering over the RVs is 15 instances greater than allowed. Even the 120-foot flagpole is simply too massive, coming in at almost twice the peak permitted by native legislation.
Town began citing Tenting World on Wednesday, and the penalties are racking up shortly: As of Friday, there had already been six violations that may value about $1,150 in fines.
Lemonis stated it doesn’t matter as a result of Outdated Glory just isn’t going wherever.
“The flag is not coming down,” stated the 50-year-old tycoon, whose actuality present includes him investing his personal cash in struggling small companies.
“You can fine me all you want City of Greenville North Carolina. #NoAmericanFlagIsTooBig,” Lemonis wrote within the social-media put up.
It’s not the primary time Tenting World has gone to battle towards native zoning legal guidelines over the American flag. In August, a dealership exterior Stockton, Calif., demanded the agency take down a equally big banner over worries the flagpole might fall over.
Lemonis was simply as obstinate then, ordering the seller to stick with it.
“If we felt like we were putting people in danger or causing any issues with air traffic, which would absolutely not be OK, then I wouldn’t do it,” he informed Fox40 on the time.
San Joaquin County officers later gave the dealership the inexperienced gentle to maintain the flag flying, Fox 26 Information stated.
However Greenville has confirmed extra forceful in its condemnations.
The Metropolis Council denied the corporate’s request to allow the flag earlier this month, claiming Tenting World knew what it was doing when it knowingly broke the dimensions rules.
“Violators shall be issued a written citation which must be paid within 72 hours,” the doc issuing the nice learn, in accordance with the station.
“If a person fails to pay the civil penalty within 72 hours, the city may recover the penalty together with all costs by filing a civil action in the general court of justice in the nature of a suit to collect a debt.”
Metropolis officers informed Tenting World they might write tickets on daily basis the flag flies — and the flagpole should even be pulled out.
To date, town hasn’t gone to courtroom to gather the fines.
In the course of the spat over the California flag final 12 months, the Lebanon-born entrepreneur stated the massive banners are “symbolism about how we really feel about this nation. “
“I happen to be an immigrant,” he stated. “I was given the blessing of being able to enter this country and become a citizen, and I’m grateful for it.”
Such expressions of patriotism “have been part of my life since I was a little child down in Miami, Florida, where we had the largest flagpole in Miami at our car dealership,” he stated.
