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.

The other Camping World location in Greenville with a giant American flag is on the corner of Evans Street and Red Banks Road.

Lemonis started flying the American flags in October from 120-foot flagpoles.

The flags are nearly 15 times bigger than the allowable flag on non-residential property in the city. The city also says the pole cannot exceed 70 feet.

And Greenville isn’t the only city where Camping World is refusing to take down its giant American flags. A similar feud is happening between the company and the city of Sevierville, Tennessee.

There, Camping World’s 130-foot flagpole violates Sevierville city policy. The city limits flag poles to a maximum of 44 feet for safety reasons.

“Excessively tall structures can create visual distractions for motorists, pose potential safety hazards, and impact the scenic views that are a vital part of what makes Sevierville a destination for residents and visitors alike,” a city official told WVLT via email.

Sevierville has also filed a lawsuit seeking to remove the large flagpole, which it said violates the city’s zoning ordinance.

Despite all of this, Lemonis said he will fight to keep the flags flying and to make his message clear.

“Allow the flag to fly. Allow people to enjoy it. Allow kids in this country to understand what an amazing place they live in,” Lemonis said.

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