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Slippery Slope

Residents of Park City, Utah, were aghast when they learned that Vail Resorts, after purchasing the Park City ski resort, had filed for a federally registered trademark on the city’s name. Well, really, they wanted to trademark the resort’s name, which was named for the city. “As a community that has existed since the mining days, we’re a little uncomfortable with the notion that someone just starts to use our name and trademarks it,” said Mayor Jack Thomas. Such trademarks are “common within the ski industry,” claimed resort CEO Bill Rock, but local government officials and townspeople were afraid Vail would use it to close down businesses sporting the town’s name — and Vail refused to put into writing that they wouldn’t. With the uproar, Vail canceled the trademark application, and shortly afterward, announced it was buying Canada’s Whistler ski resort. (RC/Deseret News, Vancouver Sun) ...I’m pretty sure they mean Whistler®.