City to take down inflatable gorilla

MURFREESBORO, Tenn., May 27 (UPI) -- A Tennessee car dealership is being forced to take down the 30-foot-tall purple inflatable gorilla poised on the roof.

The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, Tenn., reported that because of a new Murfreesboro ordinance, Gordy the Gorilla will have to come down by Thursday. Jeff Edwards, who owns both the Auto Source and Gordy, said he put the gorilla up to distinguish his dealership from others in the area and to "create a buzz."

But the new ordinance drastically reduces the days an inflatable sign can be up every year from 90 days to just seven days. Murfreesboro authorities cited safety as the reason for the new ordinance, saying the inflatable sign could drift into power lines or traffic.

Edwards told the newspaper he is not upset about the new rule.

"We're just going to have to start with a new and different campaign," he said.