Taylor Swift sued for 'Evermore' by theme park of the same name
The artist dropped the album as a surprise in December 2020
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taylor Swift is being sued by a theme park in Utah with the same name as her recent album.
The lawsuit was filed by Evermore Parks, claiming trademark infringement following the December 2020 release of Swifts’ album, "Evermore." The park, which first opened in 2018, offers guests of all ages a chance to immerse themselves in a fantasy world complete with baby dragons, dwarves, Knights and other magical elements put on by effects crews and costumed actors.
However, the park insists that the release of Swift’s album flies directly in the face of its trademark. In court documents, CEO Ken Bretschneider said that after Swift's album was released on Dec. 11, search results for the theme park dropped on Google in favor of the album.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taylor Swift is being sued over use of the name 'Evermore.' (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
Swift's lawyers said the allegations are "baseless" and they refused to comply with a cease and desist letter the park sent to Swift on Dec. 18. They added that the singer-songwriter styled her new album "in a way that is entirely distinct" from the park’s aesthetic.
The allegations that the park is being hurt by the presence of Swift’s larger name recognition come at a time when live venues and attractions such as Evermore Park are in dire straights due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bretschneider tweeted earlier this month that the park is not out of business but that 2020 was a particularly difficult year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TAYLOR SWIFT ON NOT WANTING TO GET POLITICAL FOLLOWING DIXIE CHICKS CONTROVERSY: 'IT TERRIFIED ME'
"Evermore is not out of business, but 2020 (Covid) made for a very hard year," he wrote. "We do care despite the few that are saying otherwise. We had to deal with real financial issues and continue to put our heart and soul and everything we have into this dream. Hoping for a better 2021."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Swift, meanwhile, could otherwise consider 2020 a banner year after releasing the Grammy-nominated album "folklore" in a surprise drop in July. Months later, she announced a similar surprise drop of "Evermore" as a sort-of companion album.
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Regardless, the star’s team remains firm in its position that the "Evermore" album is distinctly different from the theme park. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, which cites court documents, Swift’s attorneys note that the branding for the album has nothing to do with "small dragon eggs, guild patches, or small dragon mounts, and nothing could be remotely characterized as such."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.