The battle for Tavern on the Green is now hinging on what to call it.
City officials, who are ousting the restaurant’s leaseholder, Jennifer LeRoy, are so desperate to hang onto Tavern on the Green’s famous name, they’re going to fight for the rights to it, sources said.
But the moniker, valued at $19 million, was trademarked by the LeRoy family 31 years ago. The LeRoys, who have operated the Central Park eatery since 1973 and filed for bankruptcy last month, claim the name is an invaluable asset.
As the city preps to hand over the restaurant’s 25-year lease to restaurateur Dean Poll on Jan. 1, it’s looking to challenge the LeRoy family in Bankruptcy Court to keep the name attached to the building, sources said.
The name could be a selling point for future operators and increase the value of the property, owned by the city.
“We are hopeful that the Tavern on the Green name will be returned to the city,” said Poll’s attorney, Barry LePatner. “Otherwise, Mr. Poll will be speaking with city officials as to the choice of another name.”
The name “Tavern on the Green” was first attached to the restaurant in 1934, when Parks Commissioner Robert Moses transformed a sheep stable into a fine-dining establishment.
Tavern was a hot spot through the 1950s, run by a succession of management companies. But over the years, the restaurant slowly fell into disrepair, and was finally shuttered in 1974. That year, restaurateur Warner LeRoy acquired the lease and invested $10 million in renovations that brought the space back to life. Four years later, he trademarked the name. The restaurant had stayed in the family ever since.
Last August, the city chose Dean Poll, who owns the Central Park Boathouse restaurant, to take over operation of the space.
But the LeRoys say they’re prepared to fight to keep the title in the family. They are considering selling the right to use the name to restaurateurs across the country and, possibly, open up other eateries with the Tavern name themselves, said family spokeswoman Shelley Clark.
“Warner LeRoy trademarked the name, and it has been vigorously defended by our lawyers ever since,” said Clark. “The name is not attached to the building.”