The owner of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas cannot register a trademark on a music venue and nightclub called the “The Joint,” a federal appeals court ruled on Friday.

Saying “the joint” is a generic term for a nightclub or bar, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld an administrative court’s refusal to register a trademark sought by the casino’s owner, JC Hospitality LLC, a joint venture backed by firms including Virgin Group Ltd.

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https://www.reuters.com/article/ip-trademark-joint/fed-circuit-passes-on-casino-owners-trademark-the-joint-idUSL2N2AS2NH