Dine Roundup: The Watermark trademark dispute brewing; don’t miss Art-ini

Image courtesy Business Report

Developer Mike Wampold’s announcement last Wednesday that he has secured a Marriott Autograph franchise for his planned luxury hotel in the Old LNB Building downtown—one block from a planned Courtyard Marriott—means there will be two Marriotts on Third Street.

It also, for now at least, means two hospitality businesses will be using the name Watermark.

Wampold’s 148-room Autograph hotel will be called Watermark Baton Rouge. But just up the street, a reception and banquet hall on the newly redeveloped second floor of the former Latil’s Stationery building, is getting ready to open under the name Watermark on Third.

Someone’s going to have to change their name, and Wampold says it is going to have to be the reception facility, which is owned by restaurateurs Andy Blouin and Sean Malone.

“They’re going to have to quit using it,” Wampold says. “We had this well in the works before I ever heard of Watermark on Third.”

Read Stephanie Riegel’s full story from last week’s Daily Report.

Baton Rouge Symphony League hosts Art-ini
Head to the Renaissance Hotel (7000 Bluebonnet Blvd.) this week for a friendly martini competition for a good cause. The Baton Rouge Symphony League hosts its fourth annual art auction and martini competition, Art-ini, Thursday, May 21, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. The Tricky Dickies will provide music. Tickets are $40 online and $50 at the door. Proceeds from the event benefit the Baton Rouge Symphony League. RSVP and get more information.