Reactive by nature, public affairs can change on a dime. A policy shifts, a bill is introduced, a regulator raises a concern, and suddenly the stakes and goals change immediately. But at KO, we don’t believe in just responding to external threats; we transform them into successful opportunities for public leadership and change. Whether the goal is securing a billion-dollar development or a 187-year-old local newsroom, we have built movements that shape opinion, change outcomes, and make an impact. Two defining campaigns we’ve worked on – MGM National Harbor and Save Our Sun – show how public affairs becomes most powerful when it moves beyond the halls of government and into the hands of the people.
A Maryland Development Under Threat
When MGM set out to build a $1.4 billion resort and casino in Prince George’s County, it was more than just another gaming facility. The project promised to bring thousands of union jobs, contracts for minority-owned businesses, and a significant boost to the local economy. Still, even after securing the right to develop the site, MGM faced a wave of political opposition from critics who sought to cast the project as harmful and out-of-scale. That’s when we stepped in.
Legislative proposals emerged that could have delayed construction, restricted operations, or entirely relocated the development in West Virginia. The political winds were shifting in Annapolis, and the narrative was slipping away. KO partnered with MGM to do something few companies are comfortable doing in the face of political pressure: go on offense.
In partnership with MGM, we built a public engagement campaign that reframed the project through the eyes of the region’s residents and leaders. From creating a compelling Maryland-vs.-West Virginia campaign message to state lawmakers to developing creative communication elements like a jingle, we rallied statewide and legislative support for the project. Rather than allow opponents to define the development solely as a casino, we helped elevate the full scope of what MGM National Harbor represented: an economic development engine, a destination for tourism, and a powerful opportunity for local workers and entrepreneurs in Prince George’s County and across the state.
A Community Newspaper Worth Fighting For
In 2021, when a hedge fund known for gutting local newspapers moved to acquire The Baltimore Sun from its parent company, we led the fight to protect the 187-year-old institution from staff lay-offs, slashed coverage, and credibility erosion. The sale presented a rare opportunity: a chance to push for local ownership and a new model of nonprofit journalism.
KO helped launch and lead the public campaign that came to be known as “Save Our Sun.” Working with a coalition of journalists, civic leaders, philanthropists, and readers, we built a campaign that made the impacts of the sale impossible to ignore for everyone across our community. We positioned The Sun not as a commodity to be traded, but rather as a public trust. We generated national media attention around our campaign to support the fight for local journalism. We supported the coalition’s messaging, outreach, and organizing strategy as they worked to secure a local alternative. Ultimately, it worked; The Sun was purchased by a Maryland-based philanthropist, who placed the paper under the leadership of the newly created Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. The institution was preserved, and Baltimore retained a newsroom committed to serving its community – not hedge funds.
What ties these two stories together is not just their scale or their stakes. In both cases, our clients faced real and immediate threats. But instead of limiting their response to internal conversations or closed-door negotiations, they chose to go public – and bet on our leadership to reach success. They embraced narrative as a tool of advocacy. They made their case not just to lawmakers, but to the communities whose voices matter most.
Public campaigns work because they align political incentives with public sentiment. They give leaders cover to do the right thing. They turn abstract policy questions into human stories. And they build power – not just for the campaign at hand, but for future initiatives. At KO, we believe that when the stakes are high, your message should be louder, not quieter. We help our clients engage stakeholders, build coalitions, drive media, and lead with purpose when it matters most.