A legal fight is brewing over the new logo for One World Observatory, at One World Trade Center. The nonprofit that controls the "World Trade Center" trademark is suing the Port Authority for using the name in its logo and on merchandise sold at the observatory.
The World Trade Centers Association makes millions of dollars a year off the trademark, which it bought from the Port Authority in 1986 for just $10. The terms of the licensing were not widely publicized until 2013 when the website, North Jersey, announced that the Association was requesting $500,000 worth of free office space in the new One World Trade Center.
The article noted that Guy F. Tozzoli, who negotiated the deal, made millions off the arrangement including making $1.7 million/year plus $113,000-a-year public pension for 2009, 2010 and 2011, the only years where the tax returns were available at the time of the article.
The WTCA has more than 287 licensed World Trade affiliates in 88 countries.