More than 30,000 people have signed a petition requesting that Columbus, Ohio change its name to “Flavortown,” The Hill reported on Monday.
“Columbus is an amazing city, but one whose name is tarnished by the very name itself," according to the petition. "Its namesake, Christopher Columbus, is in The Bad Place because of all his raping, slave trading, and genocide. That's not exactly a proud legacy.”
The petition suggested, “Why not rename the city Flavortown? The new name is twofold. For one, it honors Central Ohio's proud heritage as a culinary crossroads and one of the nation's largest test markets for the food industry. Secondly, celebrity chef Guy Fieri was born in Columbus, so naming the city in honor of him… would be superior to its current nomenclature.”
Tyler Woodbridge, who started the petition told CNN that "Even though it's my favorite city, I was always a bit ashamed of the name," adding that Fieri’s “charitable work embodies more of what Columbus, Ohio, is about rather than the tarnished legacy of Christopher Columbus."
Budweiser lent its support to the petition last week, tweeting that it will give out free Bud Light Seltzer to the entire city if the petition is successful.
Those calling for the legacy of Christopher Columbus to be reassessed have led to both the toppling and legal removal of several statues of him nationwide, according to The Hill.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther recently confirmed that the city will put its own statue of the explorer in storage.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.