State Republicans are now working to prevent local governments from prohibiting the display of Old Glory on private property.

A city in North Carolina is trying to force a Camping World location to remove its giant American flag. The crackdown has prompted a response from Republicans in the state legislature who are now working to prevent local governments from prohibiting the display of Old Glory on private property.

The local government of Greenville is fining the outdoor equipment store because its 3,200-square-foot American flag on a 130-foot pole exceeds local zoning limits. Since October 2024, Greenville has imposed daily fines, which have racked up to more than $20,000. The company continues to be liable for $250 every weekday that the flag is flown.

In March, the city council voted down an ordinance that would have allowed the display of the flag. Camping World initially flew American flags at two locations in Greenville, but CEO Marcus Lemonis decided to shut one of them down in April rather than pay the fines. He has been defiant, telling WITN, “Not when they sue, not when I lose, not if they take me to jail, the flag is not coming down.”

On June 5, 2025, the city filed a lawsuit against Camping World, asking for the court’s assistance in collecting unpaid fines. It is also seeking an injunction to end “unauthorized use of property in violation of the City’s Zoning Ordinance.”

Some state legislators think Greenville’s actions are unacceptable and have proposed a change in state law. A section in the Regulatory Reform Act of 2025 would keep cities from restricting the display of American flags on private property, “including prohibiting or restricting the size of the flag or the height of any associated flagpole, on the property owner’s property.”

Limited exceptions would be allowed “only when necessary to protect public health and safety.” If the city claims the flag’s display was a traffic hazard, “a site study conducted by the Department of Transportation shall be performed to evaluate whether traffic concerns will actually arise.”

Representative Allen Chester, the primary sponsor of the bill, recommended that Greenville “immediately halt its fines and lawsuit against Camping World and work with the business to address any legitimate safety concerns, like motorist visibility, without unnecessarily restricting the flag’s display. Current law allows sign regulation but doesn’t justify banning the U.S. or N.C. flag, and the federal law supports businesses flying it with minimal restrictions.”

“Our American flag is more than fabric on a pole,” Chester said. “It’s a testament to the brave men and women who sacrificed everything — and not just our veterans, but everyday hard-working Americans that sacrificed so much to make our country great.”

“Allowing Camping World, or any other company, to fly our flag honors those heroes. Arbitrarily restricting the flying of our flag dishonors the generations that sacrificed for our freedom,” he told NR.

This dispute is not the first time Camping World has fought for its right to fly the American flag. The city of Sevierville, Tennessee, filed a lawsuit against the company in March because of a similar ordinance violation. Last year, a location in California temporarily took down its flag because it did not have a proper permit, but Lemonis ordered the flag to be put back up.

Members of the Greenville city council and the Greenville mayor did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Camping World.