Ad campaign picks up in weeks before election

Scott Bauer

Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004 | 9:32 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- More than $3.5 million has been raised to date in the battle to legalize casinos in Nebraska -- with all but $152,000 coming from gambling supporters.

As the campaign enters its final month, more money will be poured into television ads on both sides in an attempt to sway voters to either reject gambling outright, or side with one of two alternate plans on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Opponents of casino gambling say commercials featuring Nancy Osborne, wife of U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., and Warren Buffett will begin airing this week.

And proponents have been collecting more money to prepare for an all-out blitz.

There are five separate gambling-related measures on the ballot, four of which are part of a package put there through initiative petitions.

Amendment 3, the Legislature's plan, would legalize two casinos anywhere in the state. Exact locations and other details would be worked out later.

Initiatives 417 through 420 would legalize two casinos in Omaha, and an additional 4,900 video poker and slot machines at various locations across the state.

The initiative measures are backed by the Keep the Money in Nebraska coalition, which includes Coast Casinos of Las Vegas, Nebraska's horse racing industry, keno operators and local communities.

It is far ahead in the fund-raising race. As of Sept. 28 it had collected $2.6 million and had spent $2.3 million, leaving nearly $274,000 on hand.

The two largest contributors to the Keep the Money in Nebraska coalition, each giving $650,000, are Community Lottery Systems, Inc., which operates keno games in many smaller Nebraska communities and Omaha Partners L.L.C., which is composed of Coast Casinos and several Omaha businesspeople.

The group has had two ads on the air already, with two new ones planned, said campaign spokeswoman Julia Plucker. A new one will start Wednesday with another one airing late next week, Plucker said.

Backers of Amendment 3 also have had two ads on the air with more planned, said campaign spokesman Phil Young.

The group reported it received $833,928 from June 16 to Sept. 28, all of it from the Venetian casino in Las Vegas. Other contributors are being sought for endorsements, in-kind support and cash donations, Young said.

The group reported having $11,198 cash on hand. Most of the $803,801 spent was on television advertising, direct mail and other efforts to contact voters about the proposal, Young said.

Opponents of casino gambling had collected $152,000 as of Sept. 28 and had $26,700 cash on hand. Contributions included $10,000 from Buffett and $7,660 from the Osbornes.