Cleveland Cavalier fans Teig Colgrove, left, and Sayeh Ashley, center, of Akron, take a selfie in front of a mural of Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James outside the Quicken Loans Arena early Wednesday, June 22, 2016 while waiting for a parade celebrating the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA Championship through downtown Cleveland. The Cavaliers made history by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals and end the city’s 52-year drought without a professional sports championship. AP
CLEVELAND — LeBron James will continue to soar over downtown.
Sherwin-Williams announced Tuesday it has changed plans to remove a 10-story banner of James hanging from the side of its headquarters. The paint company had intended to detach the banner and replace it with one celebrating its 150th anniversary.
However, public outcry caused Sherwin-Williams to alter those plans and remove the likeness of James for only a few weeks. Now, the banner, which hangs across the street from Quicken Loans Arena, home of the NBA champion Cavaliers, will be untouched.
“We’re committed to doing the right thing for the people of this great city,” said John Morikis, the company president and CEO. “For the last year, we’ve been planning to hang a celebratory banner outside our building during the summer months. But what better way to celebrate our 150th year than with a NBA championship.”
Also, Sherwin-Williams is donating $150,000 to the LeBron James Family Foundation.
The area below the banner has become a tourist stop, with visitors taking pictures under the giant mural of James spreading his arms. During the Cavs’ downtown parade, which drew an estimated one million spectators last week, James posed near the banner mimicking the artwork.