KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Two Kalamazoo non-profits tasked with the same general purpose, to promote the community have now taken legal action against each other over the use of the 269 area code in their promotional material.
Discover Kalamazoo, which promotes tourism, has filed a federal lawsuit claiming trademark infringement. They claim it’s a last resort, after trying to settle the matter between the two organizations for the past two years.
Southwest Michigan first, which promotes Kalamazoo as a place to do business, and uses (269) as the name of their Magazine, has filed a challenge to Discover Kalamazoo’s right to use (269) as a trademark with the Patent Office. That apparently triggered the lawsuit.
Discover Kalamazoo claims it’s spent hundreds of thousands promoting the (269) brand.
Discover Kalamazoo CEO Greg Ayers says “Discover Kalamazoo has not yet served this complaint in a sincere attempt to provide an opportunity for the parties to settle this dispute. We hope there will be no need to ever serve the complaint”.
Southwest Michigan first hasn’t returned our calls, or issued any statement about the conflict.
