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East Bay Coalition Against Urban Casinos
Full Court Press was commissioned by the East Bay Coalition Against Urban Casinos to help fight a proposed casino that had bypassed the public approval process. The expansion of Casino San Pablo threatened to burden low-income communities in the East Bay with social costs that were not properly studied or considered, including increased traffic, police, and emergency services costs.
Nominated for a national award by PR Week, Full Court Press' effort created a grassroots campaign to mobilize local residents and influence Sacramento decision makers to reject the compact which would allow the tribe to install as many as 5,000 slot machines in San Pablo.
Economic studies were a key tactical weapon - Full Court Press commissioned research which summarized the annual economic loss to the Bay Area, including the social and governmental costs of compulsive gambling, as well as traffic analyses. Also utilized were Federal Department of Justice studies analyzing the effect of casinos on crime.
A rapid response capability was established by Full Court Press, enabling the Coalition to engage in the broader Casino media debate even when coverage did not include Casino San Pablo. On the ground, a local advisory committee was formed to develop and coordinate meetings and messaging. Full Court Press also created a website to serve as a rallying platform for community leaders, organized one-on-one meetings with decision makers, and worked with local religious leaders to mobilize state leaders.
As a result, the publicity surrounding the issue weakened support in the legislature to approve a pending compact. The compact signed by the Governor and the tribe was subsequently withdrawn. On the Federal level, Senator Feinstein received over 2,000 letters from members in her constituency. Senator Feinstein is now proposing a bill that will require the tribe to undergo the same rigorous process as other tribes as well as obtain federal approval before installing any new casino games.
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