LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas chapels of affection that use Elvis Presley’s likeness may just in finding themselves turning into Heartbreak Inns.
The licensing corporate that controls the title and symbol of “The King” is ordering Sin Town chapel operators to prevent the use of Elvis in themed ceremonies, the Las Vegas Overview-Magazine reported on Monday. Unique Manufacturers Team despatched cease-and-desist letters in early Would possibly to more than one chapels, that are anticipated to be compliant through now.
With Elvis so intently tied to Vegas’ wedding ceremony business, some say the transfer may just decimate their companies.
“We’re a family-run industry, and now we’re placing with the large canines,” stated Kayla Collins, who operates LasVegasElvisWeddingChapel.com and the Little Chapel of Hearts together with her husband. “That’s our bread and butter. I don’t get it. We had been simply hitting our stride once more via COVID, then this occurs.”
Clark County Clerk Lynn Goya, who led a advertising marketing campaign selling Las Vegas as a marriage vacation spot, stated the order for chapels to prevent the use of Elvis couldn’t have come at a worse time for the field.
The town’s wedding ceremony business generates $2 billion a yr, and officers say Elvis-themed weddings constitute a vital choice of the ceremonies carried out.
“It would smash a portion of our wedding ceremony business. Numerous other people may lose their livelihood,” Goya stated.
One chapel remaining weekend had its Elvis impersonator exchange as an alternative right into a leather-based jacket, denims and a fedora for a “rock ‘n’ roll” themed rite, the Overview-Magazine reported.
Graceland Marriage ceremony Chapel, which plays 6,400 Elvis-themed weddings consistent with yr, has now not been served a caution but, in line with supervisor Rod Musum.
Unique Manufacturers Team didn’t straight away reply Tuesday to an emailed request for remark.
The licensing corporate oversees the estates of giant names like film big name Marilyn Monroe and boxer Muhammad Ali and 50 client manufacturers.
Within the cease-and-desist letter, the corporate stated it’ll halt unauthorized use of “Presley’s title, likeness, voice symbol, and different components of Elvis Presley’s character in ads, products and another way.” The letter additionally stated “Elvis,” “Elvis Presley,” “and “The King of Rock and Roll” are safe logos.
The order must now not translate into prison motion towards Elvis-themed level presentations in Las Vegas reminiscent of “All Shook Up” as a result of impersonating any individual for a are living performances like presentations is regarded as an exception beneath Nevada’s proper of exposure regulation, in line with Mark Tratos, an area legal professional who helped write the statute.
“An Elvis display is a performer necessarily entertaining others through re-creating that particular person onstage,” Tratos stated.
Kent Ripley, whose industry is known as Elvis Weddings, stated he hasn’t ever run into this factor in 25 years of acting as Elvis.
“They would like to give protection to the Elvis logo. However what are they protective through taking Elvis clear of the general public?” Ripley requested.