Geographic Domain Names Archives - Page 14 of 31

Telepathy, Inc. Puts Massachusetts.com on the Market with Sedo

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January 8, 2011

Sedo Sedo broker Dave Evanson has been given another domain name exclusive, as I learned his company is currently brokering Massachusetts.com on behalf of Nat Cohen’s Telepathy, Inc. A sales price has not been publicized. My best guess is that it will take a mid to high 6 figure offer to close a deal on it, although that’s just a guess.

Nat’s companies own a number of high value domain names (like OceanCity.com and Retirement.com to name just a couple), and it’s not a surprise that he would opt to sell. I personally have found that to maximize the value of a geodomain name, it needs to be developed, and with so many one word descriptive/generic .com names, it would not be feasible to successfully develop them all within one’s lifetime.

With millions of dollars in advertising and marketing spend this past year, I could see the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism upgrading its website from MassVacation.com. There really isn’t a better domain name for them to own, granted it will be an expensive acquisition. I also think it would behoove the state government to acquire this domain name, but I would imagine that would be a difficult acquisition to make in light of the dour economy.

I don’t recall seeing any state .com domain names on the market in quite some time. Just recently, Ryan Colby announced that Sedo had secured the rights to broker Austin.com.

To learn more about the sale of Massachusetts.com, Dave Evanson can be emailed at dave.evanson@sedo.com, and to learn more about Austin.com, you can email Ryan Colby at ryan.colby@sedo.com.

New Rio.com Website Now Live

Geographic Domain Names

Elliot Silver

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December 30, 2010

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rio.com A little over a year ago at the TRAFFIC auction in New York City, Keith Levenson of Acme Media purchased Rio.com for $450,000.

This significant acquisition marked a changeover for Rio.com, as it went from a tech company website to a tourism website focused for people looking to visit the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The hard work is about to pay off, as the new Rio.com website went live this afternoon.

During the past year, Keith has made a few trips to Rio de Janeiro for research and to secure deals with local travel companies and hotels. People interested in visiting Rio can seamlessly book travel, tour packages, and Carnival vacations.

The next few years are going to be huge for the city of Rio de Janeiro, as the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics will be held in the city. By launching now, Keith will have a good amount of time to become established as the official tourism website of the city.

Jess Bookstaff Doppelt Adds Sausalito.com to GeoDomain Portfolio

Geographic Domain Names

Elliot Silver

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December 9, 2010

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I just received word that geodomain owner, Jess Bookstaff Doppelt, has added Sausalito.com to her portfolio, which already includes PigeonForge.com, Durango.com, and TheVirginIslands.com.

The domain name was purchased from Fred Mercaldo and of Scottsdale.com and Red Apple Domains of Scottsdale, Arizona. Although the purchase price was not disclosed, it had been previously on the market for $150,000 in 2008, prior to the site’s launch on Mercaldo’s City in the Box platform.

According to Jess, “2010 has been an incredible year for me. Acquiring Sausalito.com is the perfect ending. I’m looking forward to what 2011 has to bring.”

This certainly has been a great year for Jess. As you can tell from the addition in her name, Jess was married earlier in the year to a dermatologist from Knoxville, where they currently reside with their two children.

Congratulations to Jess on these big acquisitions!

Press Release Below:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –December 9, 2010 –Knoxville, Tennessee based PigeonForge.com, Durango.com and TheVirginIslands.com, leading online advertising websites for premier vacation destinations, added Sausalito.com to their portfolio.

“I’m thrilled to bring Sausalito.com our expertise in promoting this unique and popular vacation destination online,” says Jessica Bookstaff Doppelt, president. “Our success with PigeonForge.com, Durango.com and TheVirginIslands.com again shows an overwhelming and resounding interest in Geo Domains as superior online resources for vacation planning as well as a valuable domain asset. Sausalito.com has the name recognition that is a natural choice for information about Sausalito, CA and the surrounding bay area.”

Doppelt purchased the domain from Fred Mercaldo of Scottsdale.com and Red Apple Domains of Scottsdale, Arizona. “Our CitiesPlanet project of developing 65 City.com brands has taken all of my time and attention, not allowing me to properly focus on one of my favorite cities in the country, Sausalito. Since Jessica has been both a friend and business associate of mine for years, knowing that it is now under her control and ownership makes me happy. Her expertise in developing these boutique destination geo portals is proven, and Sausalito.com fits into her network perfectly. I tend to get emotionally attached to our City.com projects, but knowing that I can still stay somewhat involved with Sausalito.com through working with Jessica makes it much easier.

Doppelt plans to build on the strengths of Sausalito.com by adding the features most popular with other destination domains. The focus will be on providing original and updated content to bring new visitors to the site and keep them coming back for more. “Blogs, social media, eNewsletters, and local events are the most popular features in addition to the directory of local businesses that help visitors plan their vacation.” Doppelt says.

Doppelt, owner of PigeonForge.com, Durango.com and TheVirginIslands.com, has been active in the Internet industry since 1998, managing marketing and public relations initiatives. She is an early leader in promoting vacation destinations through effective site design, social media and content management with the goal to increase overall revenue, visitor retention and satisfaction. Sausalito.com is her fourth Geo Domain acquisition. She is actively involved as a board member of CASA of East Tennessee (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a mentor with knoxAchieves and an instructor with Operation Boot Camp. She resides in Knoxville, TN with her husband and two children.

Guest Post: Court Denies Motion Against WebQuest in Hayward.com Case

Elliot Silver

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November 9, 2010

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This is a guest post written by Brett Lewis of the Lewis & Hand law firm in Brooklyn, New York regarding a ruling from the Hayward.com lawsuit filed by WebQuest.com, Inc. Brett’s firm is currently representing WebQuest. You can read some background on the bad Hayward.com UDRP decision on Mike’s Blog. It looks like the litigation is off to a good start for WebQuest, and I wish them all the best in its legal battle for this valuable geodomain name.

In the case of WebQuest.com, Inc. v. Hayward Industries, Inc., 1:10 cv00306-OWW-JLT, the Court denied Hayward Industries’ motion for judgment on the pleadings, granting an early victory in the case to WebQuest.

Hayward Industries, which manufactures pool lights, pumps, and filters, had argued that even accepting all of the facts pleaded by WebQuest in its complaint as true, there was no question that WebQuest had acted in bad faith in registering the <Hayward.com> domain name. The Court also granted WebQuest’s motion to strike Hayward Industries’ exhibits as “unnecessary evidentiary materials.”

Hayward Industries had tried to use those exhibits to support its claim for judgment on the pleadings, a claim which the Court said “bordered on the frivolous.” The Court denied WebQuest’s motion for sanctions, however, finding that the motion, “was not so devoid of merit that it violates Rule 11.”

The case arose after WebQuest lost a UDRP decision over the <Hayward.com> and <wwwHayward.com> domain names and filed an action in Court to stop the WIPO-ordered transfer. Although the decision comes at an early stage in the case, the Court’s ruling may signal that Hayward Industries will face a difficult task at establishing bad faith.

The Court stated that: “Defendant cites no authority for the proposition that bad faith may be found despite an entity’s lack of knowledge of a trademark holder’s existence.” Given WebQuest’s claim that it registered the domain names for their value as geographic identifiers for the Bay Area city of Hayward, California, the Court found that, “Plaintiff’s activity does not as a matter of law establish the quintessential case of bad faith intent to profit contemplated by section 1125.”

Fred Mercaldo Resigns as President of Associated Cities

Geographic Domain Names

Elliot Silver

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November 2, 2010

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I just received word that Fred Mercaldo has announced his resignation as President of Associated Cities, an organization made up of city .com domain names that produces the annual GeoDomain Expo.

Mercaldo issued a brief statement to me when I asked him about his resignation:

“I thought I could have a positive impact on the culture of the organization, and successfully mediate the legal disputes that continue between the founding members. My goal was to reestablish AC as an asset to its great membership base. While I thought I was making progress these last 5 months, I really wasn’t, and the time commitment that the position required was beginning to impact my responsibilities at our growing network of 65 City.com sites, and I could not allow that.”

I know Fred was an Associated Cities Board Member for a few years prior to taking on this role, and he spent much time representing the geodomain industry. As far as I am aware, this was an unpaid position, as was the board position.

Rob Sequin Acquires Cambridge.com on Behalf of Client

Geographic Domain Names

Elliot Silver

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October 18, 2010

3

Domain broker, Rob Sequin, just announced his company helped acquire Cambridge.com on behalf of a client who intends to develop a local portal with information about Cambridge, Massachusetts. The domain name, which was originally registered in 1992, was purchased for an undisclosed sum.

In addition to the acquisition of Cambridge.com, Sequin also helped acquire a second Massachusetts geodomain name, which was not disclosed in the news release.

The purchaser of these two geodomain names is Doug Tanger, a noted real estate developer from Massachusetts who previously operated a number of radio stations. Additionally, Tanger is said to have experience with startups, and as I’ve learned with my own geodomain development, each project is just like a startup that requires quite a bit of research and funding.

Congratulations to Rob Sequin (who is on my list of recommended domain consultants), and I wish all the best to Tanger on his new geodomain startups.

Geographic Domain Names

Telepathy, Inc. Puts Massachusetts.com on the Market with Sedo

New Rio.com Website Now Live

Jess Bookstaff Doppelt Adds Sausalito.com to GeoDomain Portfolio

Guest Post: Court Denies Motion Against WebQuest in Hayward.com Case

Fred Mercaldo Resigns as President of Associated Cities

Rob Sequin Acquires Cambridge.com on Behalf of Client

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