Opinion: Corporate grab behind Yosemite trademark clash
By Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times
If you’re a lover of U.S. national parks in general and Yosemite National Park in particular, you’ve probably been moved to outrage over reports that a New York corporation has claimed the trademark rights to several names associated with the park.
These include the historic Ahwahnee Hotel, Curry Village, and conceivably Yosemite National Park itself. As a response to a pending lawsuit over the issue, the National Park Service will erase some of the disputed names as of March 1; the Ahwahnee will become the Majestic Yosemite Hotel and Curry Village will be known as Half Dome Village. The park’s name will stay the same…for now.
The dispute over the names is part of a broader legal fight, though not one that necessarily makes either the company or the government look good.