Coast Casinos disputes fine levied by state commission

Thursday, June 23, 2005 | 11:01 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Las Vegas-based Coast Casinos -- which bankrolled an effort last year to get casino gambling legalized in Nebraska -- is fighting a $97,000 fine levied against it for not reporting the donation on time.

Coast Casinos was fined in April and will get a chance Friday to argue before the Accountability and Disclosure Commission for the fine to be forgiven.

The casino's attorney and lobbyist argued in a letter to the commission that missing the Nov. 10 reporting deadline by more than four months was unintentional. The penalty is equal to 10 percent of the $970,000 worth of political contributions Coast Casinos failed to report on time.

Coast Casinos contributed money to the Keep the Money in Nebraska Committee, which backed a package of four ballot measure that sought to legalize Las Vegas-style casinos and slot machines in Nebraska.

Voters rejected the proposals.

Because Coast Casinos contributed nearly $1 million into the campaign during its final days, it became subject to a state law requiring reporting by non-Nebraska companies and others that make political contributions of more than $10,000 a year.