Here's the story:
Gulf Breeze Man Told To Take Down Sign
HE'S ANGRY WITH HIS FORMER INSURANCE COMPANY... AND A GULF BREEZE BUSINESSMAN IS PUTTING HIS FRUSTRATION IN *LIGHTS.
HE'S RUNNING HIS MESSAGE ON AN ELECTRONIC SIGN OUTSIDE HIS SHOPPING CENTER, BUT THE CITY IS ORDERING HIM TO TAKE IT DOWN.
AS ANDREW MCINTOSH EXPLAINS... THE CITY'S REASON BEHIND THE DECISION MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU'D EXPECT.
CHRIS GREEN OWNS THE SEAGREEN CENTER IN GULF BREEZE NEAR THE PENSACOLA BEACH TURN-OFF.
THE RESTAURANT AND BUSINESSES HERE SUSTAINED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE DURING IVAN... AND GREEN WAS EXPECTING A LOT OF HELP FROM HIS INSURANCE COMPANY, *ALLSTATE.
INSTEAD.. HE SAYS IT DENIED HIS 90-THOUSAND DOLLAR CLAIM... AND DROPPED HIS POLICY.
Chris Green/Seagreen Center Owner: "I feel like the insurance companies in some cases, really haven't come through for us, and this was the last straw."
Andrew McIntosh/Reporting: "Feeling slighted by his insurance company, Green put up this message on the center's LED screen. It's one he says, many people can relate to."
Green: "They think it's funny for one, but then again it hits home."
A PLAY ON THE COMPANY'S SLOGAN... THE ANIMATED SIGN READS *ALLSTATE... YOU'RE NOT IN GOOD HANDS.*
THEN, A PERSON FALLS THROUGH THE WELL-KNOWN ALLSTATE LOGO.
Green: "I at least get some satisfaction at this point by running this sign."
BUT THE CITY IS ORDERING HIM TO STOP RUNNING IT.
GREEN RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GULF BREEZE LEADERS... WHICH STATES THE SIGN IS CONSIDERED AN *AD FOR ALLSTATE... AND HE'S BEEN ORDERED TO REMOVE THE MESSAGE *IMMEDIATELY.
Green: "This is far from an ad for Allstate."
Buz Eddy/City Manager: "The ad that he's been running for Allstate is not relative to any tenant in the center, so we believe that's a violation of our sign ordinance."
CITY MANAGER BUZ EDDY SAYS GREEN COULD BE FINED IF HE DOESN'T STOP RUNNING THE SIGN.
Green: "I have the right of freedom of speech."
GREEN'S CONSULTED SOME LOCAL ATTORNEYS WHO TELL HIM HE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG... BECAUSE THE SIGN IS *NOT INAPPROPRIATE OR OBSCENE.
Eddy: "That's an interesting question that he raises and we'll have to get to the bottom of that."
IN THE MEANTIME... GREEN SAYS THE ANTI-ALLSTATE MESSAGE WILL CONTINUE TO FLASH... WHETHER THE CITY LIKES IT OR NOT.
