Legal fight over New York City restaurant's name

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A legal fight is looming in New York City over Tavern on the Green, the Central Park restaurant that has been a tourist destination since the 1930s.

The dispute revolves around the restaurant's name.

The LeRoy family has held the "Tavern on the Green" trademark for decades. They've operated the restaurant since the 1970s, but are expected to lose control at the end of the year when the city brings in a new company to run it.

The city owns the building and claims it's the sole owner of the name, noting that the restaurant had been called "Tavern on the Green" for nearly 40 years before the LeRoys got involved.

The family says it will defend its ownership of the name in court.



Tavern on the Green, Photo by Hiroko Masuike (NYT)

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Who owns the name “Tavern on the Green,” recently appraised at $19 million?

According to Barry B. LePatner, the lawyer for the restaurateur Dean J. Poll, who in August was awarded the 20-year license to run the landmark restaurant in Central Park by the Parks Department, “the city intends to challenge the propriety of the current concessionaire’s claim to the trademark for Tavern on the Green in bankruptcy court.” He added that Mr. Poll, operator of the Boathouse in Central Park, “supports the city in that effort.”