Scissors loses to Caesars in trademark infringement dispute

Thursday, April 5, 2001 | 10:51 a.m.

Park Place Entertainment Corp.'s Caesars World Inc. won a court order to stop a Las Vegas beauty salon from operating as "Scissors Palace."

Caesars World's Las Vegas Strip Caesars Palace, which operates the Venus Salon offering the same types of salon and spa services as Scissors Palace, alleged in a lawsuit that Scissors' similar name, signs and brochures infringe its Caesars Palace trademark.

Caesars said it could lose business to Scissors Palace on Rainbow Boulevard, which is several miles from the Strip, because consumers are confused by the similar-sounding names and the Roman-type lettering, similar to Caesars, that Scissors Palace uses on its marque.

U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson said in Friday's order: "Scissors Palace knew or should have known that (it) was taking a serious risk in imitating Caesars World's famous mark. Caesars World has a huge investment in that mark and its associated reputation. The possibility of irreparable injury exists."

"The services offered at Venus, the salon at Caesars and the Spa at Caesars Palace are already in competition with those offered by Scissors Palace," Dawson wrote. "Affidavits in support of Caesars World's motion show that several customers have confused the salon at Caesars Palace with Scissors Palace. It is clear that those customers have not exercised a high degree of care and there is every reason to believe the confusion will continue."