I have visited Yosemite National Park dozens of times. It is a six hour drive from Los Angeles when you take time to stop for lunch. The beauty and serenity of the park is something you will never forget.
In 2005 the facilities operator, Delaware North Companies Inc. lost its renewal bid to Aramark. Delaware North claimed it owned the names Ahwahnee and Curry and would not permit Aramark to use those names because they are intellectual property.
Delaware North sued claiming they had paid the previous concessionaire’s for the right to use the names Ahwahnee and Curry. They demanded $50 Million.
The consequence was the Ahwahnee Hotel was renamed Majestic Yosemite and Curry Village was renamed Half Dome Village. I am quite certain that most recurring visitors continued to use the names Ahwahnee and Curry.
Basically the National Park Service and Aramark paid out $12 Million ransom to recover the use of those names. Ownership of the names will now revert to the federal government.
Incidentally I never thought it important to photograph the Curry Village sign or a picture of the Ahwahnee Hotel. These photos appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
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