Papa John's founder's name removed from Indiana hometown gym

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — The southern Indiana city where Papa John's founder John Schnatter began his pizza business has removed his name from a historic gym after he resigned from the company's board for using a racial slur.

Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore first heard of Schnatter's admitted use of a slur against black people on Wednesday. Schnatter's name was removed from the Nachand Fieldhouse only hours later, the News and Tribune reported .

The facility is "about to become the gymnasium for our new downtown elementary school," Moore said. "I can't have children who are walking into this elementary school to get an education to have this hanging over their heads. I do not want that name and these comments crossing any little child's mind that's walking into school every day."

Schnatter began his restaurant business decades ago in Jeffersonville, where he opened the first Papa John's. He resigned last year as CEO after blaming disappointing delivery sales on the outcry surrounding professional football players kneeling during the national anthem.

Read more: https://www.nwitimes.com/news/state-and-regional/indiana/papa-john-s-founder-s-name-removed-from-indiana-hometown/article_12c85eb9-e2b6-53e6-858b-c233fefe77a4.html