A nationwide RV vendor is in sizzling water once more for flying a mammoth American flag at one in every of its tons — 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 larger than allowed. Even the 120-foot flagpole is just too large, coming in at almost twice the peak permitted by native legislation.
The town began citing Tenting World on Wednesday, and the penalties are racking up rapidly: As of Friday, there had already been six violations that can price about $1,150 in fines.
Lemonis stated it doesn’t matter as a result of Outdated Glory shouldn’t be going anyplace.
“The flag shouldn’t be coming down,” stated the 50-year-old tycoon, whose actuality present includes him investing his personal cash in struggling small companies.
“You possibly can effective me all you need Metropolis of Greenville North Carolina. #NoAmericanFlagIsTooBig,” Lemonis wrote within the social-media publish.
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 outdoors Stockton, Calif., demanded the agency take down a equally large banner over worries the flagpole might fall over.
Lemonis was simply as obstinate then, ordering the vendor to stick with it.
“If we felt like we have been placing individuals at risk or inflicting any points with air site visitors, which might completely not be OK, then I wouldn’t do it,” he instructed 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 quotation which should be paid inside 72 hours,” the doc issuing the effective learn, in accordance with the station.
“If an individual fails to pay the civil penalty inside 72 hours, town might get better the penalty along with all prices by submitting a civil motion within the normal court docket of justice within the nature of a swimsuit to gather a debt.”
Metropolis officers instructed Tenting World they might write tickets each day the flag flies — and the flagpole should even be pulled out.
To date, town hasn’t gone to court docket to gather the fines.
Throughout the spat over the California flag final 12 months, the Lebanon-born entrepreneur stated the large banners are “symbolism about how we really feel about this nation. “
“I occur to be an immigrant,” he stated. “I used to be given the blessing of with the ability to enter this nation and turn into a citizen, and I’m grateful for it.”
Such expressions of patriotism “have been a part of my life since I used to be a bit youngster down in Miami, Florida, the place we had the most important flagpole in Miami at our automotive dealership,” he stated.