Las Vegas chapels of affection that use Elvis Presley's likeness may discover themselves turning into Heartbreak Motels.
The licensing firm that controls the identify and picture of "The King" is ordering Sin Metropolis chapel operators to cease utilizing Elvis in themed ceremonies, the Las Vegas Evaluation-Journal reported on Monday. Genuine Manufacturers Group despatched cease-and-desist letters in early Might to a number of chapels, that are anticipated to be compliant by now.
With Elvis so carefully tied to Vegas' marriage ceremony trade, some say the transfer may decimate their companies.
"We're a family-run enterprise, and now we're hanging with the large canines," stated Kayla Collins, who operates LasVegasElvisWeddingChapel.com and the Little Chapel of Hearts together with her husband. "That is our bread and butter. I do not get it. We have 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 cease utilizing Elvis could not have come at a worse time for the sector.
The town's marriage ceremony trade generates $2 billion a yr, and officers say Elvis-themed weddings symbolize a major variety of the ceremonies carried out.
"It would destroy a portion of our marriage ceremony trade. A variety of individuals would possibly lose their livelihood," Goya stated.
"This might not solely harm our small enterprise however would harm the wedding tourism normally," Vegas Weddings President Melody Willis-Williams instructed CBS Las Vegas affiliate KLAS-TV.
She runs two marriage ceremony chapels within the metropolis and says Elvis themes are all the time in demand.
"I actually assume the marriage trade has helped maintain Elvis and his identify alive for a era that by no means obtained to see him," Willis-Williams noticed.
One chapel final weekend had its Elvis impersonator change as a substitute right into a leather-based jacket, denims and a fedora for a "rock 'n' roll" themed ceremony, the Evaluation-Journal reported.
Graceland Wedding ceremony Chapel, which performs 6,400 Elvis-themed weddings per yr, has not been served a warning but, in accordance with supervisor Rod Musum.
Genuine Manufacturers Group didn't instantly reply Tuesday to an emailed request for remark.
The licensing firm oversees the estates of huge names like film star Marilyn Monroe and boxer Muhammad Ali and 50 client manufacturers.
Within the cease-and-desist letter, the corporate stated it should halt unauthorized use of "Presley's identify, likeness, voice picture, and different parts of Elvis Presley's persona in commercials, merchandise and in any other case." The letter additionally stated "Elvis," "Elvis Presley," "and "The King of Rock and Roll" are protected emblems.
The order mustn't translate into authorized motion towards Elvis-themed stage exhibits in Las Vegas similar to "All Shook Up" as a result of impersonating somebody for stay performances similar to exhibits is taken into account an exception beneath Nevada's proper of publicity legislation, in accordance with Mark Tratos, an area lawyer who helped write the statute.
"An Elvis present is a performer basically entertaining others by re-creating that particular person onstage," Tratos stated.
Kent Ripley, whose enterprise is known as Elvis Weddings, stated he has by no means run into this situation in 25 years of performing as Elvis.
"They need to shield the Elvis model. However what are they defending by taking Elvis away from the general public?" Ripley requested.