Legal fight looms for Tavern on the Green as NYC and restaurant family both claim to own name

Legal fight looms over NYC’s Tavern on the Green

NEW YORK — 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.

Information from: The New York Times, www.nytimes.com