The Statesville City Council just voted to cancel an amendment that would have allowed Gander Camping World’s massive 40′ by 80′ flag to continue to fly.
Backstory:
For the past several decades, a Statesville city ordinance has limited publically displayed flag sizes to 25′ by 40′ (or smaller). After several warnings and refusals by Gander to comply with the city’s policy, the city issued a letter, telling them that they must take down the over-sized flag or face a daily penalty of $50 (retroactive to 10/15/18).
Last month, after over a quarter million petition signatures and national media attention, city leaders drafted an amendment that would allow the massive flag to continue to fly.
According to a press release by the city, Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh has asked the Statesville Planning Department to draft a new amendment that would change the regulated size of flags displayed in a highway business zone to allow for the flag that’s currently displayed at Gander RV on I-77.
“In speaking with city council members, I believe this is the direction the majority of council would like to go at this time. Some terrible things have been said about our wonderful town,” said Kutteh, “and it hasn’t come from our citizens. But people from all over the country have jumped on this issue and called us names I can’t repeat. When our community’s efforts to conduct business in an orderly, lawful manner begins to hurt our businesses, then it’s time to put a stop to it.”
What Now:
With the new amendment struck down, the $50 daily fine will continue to pile up.
The CEO of Gander said publically that he’s willing to pay the fines and that he will not take the flag down.
During an interview, Marcus Lemonis told reporters that he’d even be willing to go to jail over the issues;