ARENA YES!: CITIZENS VOTE THEMSELVES A TAX INCREASE

It’s difficult to get people to cast a vote that will cost them money, but in 2006 we helped convince 61% of voters to do just that to help fund a $67 million addition to the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. We assisted the Arena Yes! volunteer committee by developing newspaper and radio ads, arranging news conferences, rallies and public speaking engagements.

The messages emphasized the need for a modern facility to keep Duluth as a national sports town (with UMD men’s and women’s hockey teams as tenants), while also providing increased space for major concerts and larger conventions to further bolster the region's economy. Voters went to the polls to cast a vote in favor of the community’s future, comfortable in knowing that a “yes” vote would only increase the cost of their $8 restaurant hamburger by six cents.