GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - The saga surrounding Camping World’s defiance to take down an oversized American flag continues as the company has asked a judge to dismiss Greenville’s lawsuit against it.
The City of Greenville filed a lawsuit in June against Camping World for violating city code regarding the 3,200 square feet stars and stripes it flies at its Red Banks Road location.
Among the relief it’s seeking, the city’s lawsuit wants Camping World to remove the oversized flag and pay what it owes for the violations.
The flag was raised by Camping World in October of 2024 and given a notice of violation. Since then, the city says the company has incurred an outstanding balance of $33,750 in citations.
On Wednesday, Camping World filed a motion to dismiss. A separate memo in support of that motion to dismiss was filed on Thursday.
In the memo, Camping World claims that the city’s lawsuit violates General Statute 144-7, which regulates display of governmental flags, and that the city is retaliating against the company’s exercising of rights to free speech and to petition.
“Should this case proceed, Camping World intends to counterclaim to vindicate its state and federal constitutional and statutory rights and to recover its damages and attorney fees,” the memo reads.
When reached on Friday, the city said it had no comment on Camping World’s motion to dismiss.
Camping World has steadfastly refused to take down the flag.
CEO Marcus Lemonis told WITN in a March interview that even if he lost any court proceeding or were taken to jail, he wouldn’t take it down.
Republican state lawmakers waded into the controversy by filing House Bill 926.
The bill would prohibit local governments from regulating the U.S. flag or the North Carolina flag on private property.
Governments could pass an ordinance regulating the manner and placement of the flag if there’s a threat to public health and safety, but the ordinance would also include other layers of oversight justifying enforcement.
The bill passed the state house in June but was referred to the Committee on Rules and Operations in the state senate on July 29th.
Read the full memo below: