The city of Sevierville, Tennessee, has launched a lawsuit against Camping World, a national RV dealership, targeting the massive American flag flying outside its store. The legal action centers on a flagpole deemed too tall under local ordinances. All of it ignited a dispute that echoes across the South, including a similar clash in North Carolina.
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Camping World, known for hoisting basketball court-sized American flags -- measuring 40 feet by 80 feet -- at its 200-plus locations, faces scrutiny once again. Sevierville officials argue the 130-foot flagpole violates zoning rules, posing safety and aesthetic concerns.
"Excessively tall structures can distract motorists, create hazards, and mar the scenic views that define Sevierville," the city stated, pushing back against claims of unpatriotism. "We are not against patriotism."
Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis remains defiant. "The flag's not a problem," he told FOX Business. "It has FAA clearance. This feels like the city trying to control what's happening here."
He insists the flag stays up, no matter the cost. "Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail -- the flag is not coming down," Lemonis declared after Greenville, North Carolina, filed its own lawsuit last week.
North Carolina Escalates Flag Feud
In Greenville, North Carolina, city leaders voted 4-2 to sue Camping World over a 3,200-square-foot flag atop a 130-foot pole -- nearly double the allowed height. The council's decision follows Sevierville's March complaint, which demands the Tennessee pole's removal or a daily $50 fine. Greenville's flag, likened to a basketball court in size, has drawn fines since January, with Lemonis refusing to budge.
"This isn't new," Lemonis said, citing past battles in Statesville, North Carolina; Morgan Hill, California; and Onalaska, Wisconsin. "We've had these flags up for 20 years. It's surprising to me that in states like North Carolina and Tennessee, I'm dealing with this." He frames the lawsuits as overreach, arguing they stifle business without public benefit.
Sevierville counters that Camping World knew the 44-foot height limit before erecting the pole. The city seeks an injunction, while Greenville's case heads to court, joining a pattern of legal challenges for the RV giant. Lemonis, born in Lebanon and adopted by a Miami family, ties his stance to personal history, noting his family's tradition of flying the flag at their car dealership.
