Issue

A proposed resort casino located just outside of historic Gettysburg became the national focus of gaming opponents and Civil War enthusiasts.

Strategy

With opposition making the success of winning a gaming license a long shot, La Torre Communications devised a comprehensive media strategy and education campaign that diffused many of the myths by Civil War enthusiasts, as well as promote the project’s tremendous economic development potential for a community suffering from high unemployment.

Results

  • Earned extensive positive media coverage from print, television and radio outlets, promoting the economic benefits of the project for the local community and Pennsylvania taxpayers.
  • Despite grassroots opposition from religious and Civil War groups, won editorial endorsements of area’s two largest newspapers.
    • Harrisburg Patriot-News: Gettysburg? You bet. Casino will be economic boost to area; not impact battleground
    • Central Penn Business Journal: Gettysburg casino a solid bet
  • Trained and positioned local, grassroots supporters them for interviews with media.
    • Harrisburg Patriot-News: Opponents outnumbered in public battle over Gettysburg casino proposal
    • Harrisburg Patriot-News: Nearly two-thirds of Adams County residents support a casino near Gettysburg, poll shows
    • ABC 27: Supporters rally for Gettysburg casino
    • Gettysburg Times: Vets rally for casino
  • Recruited mayor from similar Civil War town, Vicksburg, Mississippi, to visit and speak to area media.
    • Gettysburg Times: Vicksburg mayor thankful for casinos
  • Forced favored project into a series of defensive meetings with the media after forcing attention on its weak location and economic development potential.
    • ABC 27: You need a compass, a GPS, and a helicopter to find it
    • ABC 27: Nemacolin GM fires back in battle for casino license
    • Gettysburg Times: Mason-Dixon questions Nemacolin’s eligibility

Conclusion

Mason-Dixon did not win the license, but La Torre succeeded in demonstrating strong, local support for the controversial project and winning acclaim by various media outlets. The media campaign by La Torre Communications is considered by many to be the template for seeking a gaming license in a competitive gaming jurisdiction.