In 1991, when crime was high in New York City and public opinion of Central Park was much lower than today, Donald Trump applied for a trademark on the name "Central Park" and got it. He has held on to, and profited from, a widening variety of trademarks ever since, slapping the name Central Park first on parking garages, then onto furniture, pillows, pencil boxes, "non-electric coffee percolators," chandeliers, keychain, and other items. And Trump paid no more than the filing fee to become the single largest private for-profit trademark holder of Central Park trademarks for specific goods.
Alan Garten, general counsel for The Trump Organization, declined to tell The Associated Press how much money Trump has earned from his Central Park trademarks, only saying that "Mr. Trump, over the course of his career, has owned and developed some of the most iconic buildings in the city, many of which... sit only footsteps away from Central Park." The park is operated by both New York City and the private Central Park Conservancy, which can sell items like umbrellas with the official Central Park logo. Neither the city nor the Conservancy can revoke Trump's trademarks, though the city has tried and failed to derail several trademark applications but found no way to, NY1 reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'The disconnect between actual health care and the insurance model is widening'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Cautious optimism surrounds plans for the world's first nuclear fusion power plantTalking Point Some in the industry feel that the plant will face many challenges
-
Explore new worlds this winter at these 6 enlightening museum exhibitionsThe Week Recommends Discover the estrados of Spain and the connection between art and chess in various African countries
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons mergerSpeed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battleSpeed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rallySpeed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
