Casino news from http://www.boston.com/
Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment and the Narragansett Indian Tribe have begun a heavy advertising and public relations campaign to persuade Rhode Islanders to vote in favor of a state constitutional amendment allowing them to build a casino in West Warwick.
Harrah's has booked at least $650,000 worth of television ads to run over three months, according to station records. It also is spending thousands of dollars on radio ads.
TITLE: "Lipps Printing"
CREATOR: Behr Communications
LENGTH: 30 seconds
AIRING: On Rhode Island broadcast and cable stations
SCRIPT: Lipps Printing salesperson Toni Tyndall: "Harrah's has meant everything to my business." Plant manager Bob Morgan: "Harrah's has meant to us the ability to pay our people better, to keep and maintain good quality people, to train good quality people." Tyndall: "We've been able to add additional people, give additional jobs, bring them into the community." Morgan: "401(k) plan we started in the last year. New equipment that we've invested in." Tyndall: "And look at the vendors, they all have employees. We're just one vendor." Lipps Printing owner Sheila Morgan: "Harrah's has meant more jobs for the entire area." Woman's voice: "Without Harrah's casino, my business wouldn't be in business."
KEY IMAGES: The ad opens with a press printing fliers for Harrah's in a plant in New Orleans. A shot of Morgan looking at the fliers in the plant leads into his testimonial in front of the camera. The ad then shows workers packing up boxes of fliers and sorting through other printed materials. There's a shot of Tyndall putting out Harrah's brochures in what looks like a casino. These image are interspersed with clips of Morgan and Tyndall speaking directly to the camera. The ad closes with a slide that says, "Harrah's. Committed to our employees. Committed to our communities."
TITLE: "My Tribe"
CREATOR: Behr Communications
LENGTH: 60 seconds
AIRING: On Rhode Island radio stations
SCRIPT: Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas: "About 2,400 members of my tribe live in Rhode Island. Some are doctors and lawyers, and others are cooks and fisherman. But too many members of my tribe live in poverty, without adequate health care, housing, or educational opportunities. This is Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. My tribe believes strongly that it's our responsibility to take care of our own, especially those in need. That's why we've been working to build the Narragansett Indian casino. And thanks to the competitive process we used, we have a true partner who will work with us to create a world-class resort and improve the lives of my tribe. But we also believed that the casino should benefit all Rhode Islanders. So it will produce $144 million a year to cut property taxes in every town in Rhode Island. The Narragansett Indian casino will be good for my tribe -- and good for all taxpayers. I hope you'll join me in supporting Question 1. Thank you." Announcer: "Paid for by Rhode Islanders for Jobs and Tax Relief."
ANALYSIS: Harrah's is attempting to win support for the casino amendment by showing the financial benefits it could have for Rhode Island and the Narragansett Indian Tribe, a sympathetic group in the Ocean State because of past discrimination.
Harrah's ads also are designed to offset criticism from Gov. Don Carcieri and others that it is as an out-of-state company intent on profiting from Rhode Islanders.
The television ad uses testimonials from Lipps Printing in New Orleans to show how a casino could help small businesses in Rhode Island. Casino critics have said it will hurt small businesses by drawing customers from locally owned restaurants and theaters.
The radio ad offers another carrot with Thomas promising that casino profits will help lower property taxes.
The casino amendment says money from the casino will be used for property tax relief but sets no tax rate on casino profits. Although Harrah's has promised to pay at least $144 million in annual taxes by the third year of the casino's operation, there is nothing in state law to guarantee that.
The radio ad also invokes a sympathetic response by having Thomas talk about the tribe's problems with poverty and the ways money from a casino could help its members. Harrah's and the tribe have released a summary of their contract that says the tribe will receive 5 percent of the casino's profits after taxes are paid.
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