Case study: The San Diego Trolley - Mission Valley West Extension

Following Cook & Schmid’s strategic pubic and media relations program, donations to the San Diego Rescue Mission for December more than doubled the nine-year average for that month, totaling $1.3 million, compared to an average of $625,000.

SITUATION
In early 1995, The Metropolitan Transit Development Board (MTDB) was ready to begin construction on its Mission Valley West Extension, a $220 million project that would add 6.1 miles of track from Old Town to just east of Qualcomm Stadium. The project's cost and its perceived impacts on Mission Valley by some residents and businesses created anxiety and even animosity toward the project before construction began. Construction needed to proceed smoothly in order for the Trolley extension to be completed before Super Bowl XXXII in January 1998. GCS was charged to create a three-year Community Relations Campaign to bring success to the Mission Valley West Trolley Extension.

STRATEGIES - Created a Multifaceted Public and Community Relations Plan
Agency team members implemented a continuous, multifaceted public and community relations plan that reached residents, businesses, employers, shoppers, media and others throughout the construction process. The team elevated the public image of the Trolley extension by adopting a customer service approach to community relations, reducing adverse impacts on the community, and building excitement for the completion of the Trolley extension and the beginning of Trolley service. During the two-year construction period, team members attended hundreds of MTDB planning and community meetings to stay abreast of developments and, in turn, update the public.  Media specialists also arranged dozens of print, radio and TV interviews. Through agency efforts, thousands of Mission Valley residents were contacted through free construction tours, mall appearances, speaking engagements, telephone information lines and the production of a special video about the project.

Generated Excitement and Awareness through Comprehensive Communications Plan
The team also distributed regular newsletters about the new Trolley extension and created a community advisory board to help with proactive communications into communities along the route. The campaign culminated with a series of grand opening activities that raised awareness and excitement about the Mission Valley West Extension. Through months of planning, the team expanded MTDB's promotional budget for the opening activities by bringing in dozens of media and corporate sponsors. This extra support made possible more than a dozen special events and promotions - ranging from a free ride day in conjunction with a street festival to an "opening day" Trolley commute by Mayor Susan Golding.

RESULTS
The Mission Valley West Extension Community Relations Campaign built support for the project and helped eliminate public protests that might have delayed the on-time and on-budget completion of the Trolley Extension. Other achievements included: a 90 percent public approval rating (measured by survey forms filled out during free Trolley construction tours); two editorials supporting the Trolley extension in the San Diego Union-Tribune; an editorial hailing the extension's opening on NBC 7/39; extensive media coverage, including three major print news stories and more than 75 news reports (total impressions: approximately 20 million); more than $300,000 in cash, in-kind services and media time contributed to Trolley grand opening events from more than 40 sponsors; attendance of more than 25,000 people during the Trolley extension's grand opening activities between Nov. 20 and Nov. 30, 1997. The program earned a Silver Anvil from PRSA, the profession’s highest honor