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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 09:13am PT
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I imagine they're banking on the Park Service figuring it would be more of a hassle to sh!t can
them. Hopefully someone in Congress will hold the Park Service's feet to the fire on this. But
probably not.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Dec 24, 2014 - 09:27am PT
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Isn't that called...... "Extortion"? I wonder how Vinnie feels about competition??
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c wilmot
climber
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Dec 24, 2014 - 09:48am PT
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The Ahwahnee Hotel is a national historic landmark- how do you trademark that?
Oh- and anyone in need of a caffeine fix in the valley needs only to head to the Ahwahnee 2nd floor to fill up for free till noon.
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:04am PT
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This is unbelievable! What a cash grab! That has already been paid for! The park service should ride DNC out on a rail.
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John M
climber
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:11am PT
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Is there a large corporation that could handle park concessions that one would want?
Is there a park with a decent concessionaire?
Just my curiosity. I have only worked in Yosemite.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:21am PT
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BRING BACK MCA,!!! WE WANT THE HALF DOME TELEPHERIQUE!!!!!*
* I've HAD IT with that walk down in the dark!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:36am PT
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In advance of a pay-to-play Congress, do not count on DNC losing their contract.
Rather, look for a larger deal. This is the opening salvo.
If you're a GOP congressperson, why wouldn't you sell out your nation's legacy for a few scheckles?
DMT, you're theory is correct, but you're aiming at the wrong target. DNC got in because of its connections to the Clinton Administration, not to Congress. DNC has been the worst Yosemite concessionaire of my lifetime. It makes me long for the days of the YP&CC or even MCA. I hope that anyone sued by DNC for alleged trademark infringement counterclaims for conversion of public property and worse.
A pox in DNC!
John
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Byran
climber
San Jose, CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:54am PT
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Not sure but it looks like the Ahwahnee was originally trademarked by the Curry Co, then taken over by DNC in 1989 (which is strange because they didn't start operating in Yosemite until '92, and i also don't understand why the trademark is categorized under "computer and scientific", but maybe someone here can make sense of this)
http://trademarks.justia.com/737/39/the-ahwahnee-73739312.html
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 10:56am PT
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DMT, my point wasn't the political party, it was the branch of government. The Yosemite concessionaire contract is in the hands of the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, which is an agency of the Executive Branch.
While Republicans generally believe in more privatization than Democrats, privatization isn't the issue here. DNC has been greedy, incompetent (the worst hamburger I ever had anywhere was at the Village Grill), and had outsized influence on the NPS (witness the original Yosemite Valley Plan, that reduced everything but the DNC footprint).
This isn't an issue of political parties; it's an issue of undue political influence.
John
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10b4me
climber
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Dec 24, 2014 - 11:05am PT
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The company sent the letters as the park service is soliciting bids for a new concessionaire's agreement at Yosemite National Park.
seems like they are using it as a bargaining chip.
But it appears as though there is a chance they could operate under a completely different name.
great, Ahwahnee Six. We'll leave the light on for you.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Dec 24, 2014 - 11:16am PT
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It is my understanding that NPS is trying to leverage more money out of the cash cows, like Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon. Xanterra (fka Fred Harvey), the concessionaire at GCNP is suing over a contract that was awarded to Delaware North. Park service bumped the concession fee from 3.8% of gross to 14% of gross.
NPS needs to generate A LOT OF MONEY at the GCNP to buy out Xanterra's capital improvements, something like 200 million dollars according to Xanterra. In addition the trans-canyon pipeline needs to be replaced at a cost of 100 million dollars. This pipeline is for the benefit of both Grand Canyon Village and the 4.5 million vistors, and the town of Tusayn. Money Money Money
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Dec 24, 2014 - 11:46am PT
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I remember them as bad, Timid Top Rope, but not that bad. And the Mountain Room Broiler seemed far better under MCA, but I didn't have a particularly large sample size.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and happy new year, too.
John
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 25, 2014 - 01:40pm PT
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Disgusting as DN's business practice seem, it may be just business as usual these days.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Dec 25, 2014 - 01:53pm PT
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How the f*#k can they own names that existed long before they got there?
Boot those f*#ks out. New blood, or at least the threat of new blood seems like it would have to help occasionally.
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Lorenzo
Trad climber
Oregon
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Dec 25, 2014 - 03:38pm PT
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i also don't understand why the trademark is categorized under "computer and scientific",
Haha.
If it is,
They are about to get their asses kicked by the richest corporation on the planet, Apple computer, who has Yosemite trademarked for its latest operating system
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Dec 25, 2014 - 05:15pm PT
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Bring back the Four Seasons!
DNC has a sweetheart deal, the NPS should get a bigger cut...
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2014 - 01:10pm PT
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Maybe Chouinard could sue Chile and Argentina for using the word Payagonia.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Dec 27, 2014 - 01:39pm PT
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Maybe Chouinard could sue Chile and Argentina for using the word Payagonia.
Maybe Chile and Argentina should sue Chouinard!
;)
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Dec 27, 2014 - 03:05pm PT
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Maybe Taco Bell ought to sue Supertopo for appropriating Supertaco.
It's a ding-dong dingusting state of economic opportunity for some rich bastions.
TimidToprope, how awful!
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SuperTopo on the Web
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