STATESVILLE FLAG: Statesville prepares change to allow giant US flag to fly at RV dealer
STATESVILLE, N.C. ̵[ads1]1; The massive US flag flying over Statesville will most likely not come down anytime soon.
City officials said they drafted an amendment to an ordination that, if adopted, would allow the flag to be displayed on Gander RV on Interstate 77.
The city has bent Gander RV $ 50 per day for each day flag stays up, which is about $ 11,000.
The 40×80-foot American flag is almost twice the size of the current city ordinance.
The Change is expected to pass on July 15 at the municipal council meeting.
Lemonis is a businessman and a star of CNBC's reality TV show "The Profit."
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"In talking to city council members, I think this is the direction the majority of the council wants to go at this time. Some terrible things have been said about our amazing city," said Mayor Costi Kutteh in a press release Wednesday. "And it has not come from our citizens. But people from all over the country have jumped on this problem and called us names I can't repeat. When our society's efforts to do business in an orderly manner begin to lawfully harm our businesses, it's time to stop it. "
The mayor said he was disappointed. Camping Worlds CEO Marcus Lemonis did not come into contact with the city.
Later Wednesday, Lemonis took the city officials lacked the point.
"The state code is clear without limiting its size, unless it weakens the health, safety or well-being of the people," Lemonis tweeted. "This is not about (Camping World) or (Gander RV.) Change the code to remove the size limitations of all businesses, not just mine."
Lemonis, the star of CNBC's "The Profit," said Wednesday that he would go in jail before he removed the huge flag.
"I prefer not to (go to jail)," he said. "It's not a super-beneficial outcome. But that's how big a line in the sand this is to me."
Lemonis will be in Statesville Thursday not to meet with city leaders, but to support the flag.
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