Nashville Metro Council voted down an external sign request for country music star Morgan Wallen's new bar on Tuesday night.
Signage requests for the outside of buildings that hang over public property — like the sidewalk — have to obtain council approval.
The vertical sign would have lit up Wallen's name outside of the bar. Rather than discuss design standards, council members voted against signage 30-3 because of Wallen's behavior in recent years, including the most recent allegation of Wallen throwing a chair from six stories down onto Broadway at the feet of Metro Nashville police officers. Four council members abstained from the vote.
"I don't want to see a billboard up with the name of a person who's throwing chairs off of balconies and who is saying racial slurs," said Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield. She was referring to a recording of Wallen drunkenly using a racial slur in 2021. He later apologized.
Earlier this month, a court hearing was held regarding the chair-throwing incident. He is charged with three counts of reckless endangerment because of the vicinity of the police officers and one charge of disorderly conduct.
Wallen was also previously arrested in downtown Nashville in 2020.
The country artist has since apologized for his actions around the thrown chair.
His next court date on the issue will happen Aug. 15.
This article was originally published by Emily R. West for Scripps News Nashville.
