TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – New state documents show spending on a referendum to expand casino gambling to northern New Jersey has reached nearly $21 million.
The Election Law Enforcement Commission on Monday said the spending for and against expansion sets a new record for ballot questions.
The most spending came from anti-expansion Trenton’s Bad Bet, which doled out $11.3 million. Its funders include Genting New York, which operates Resorts World Casino in New York and is a subsidiary of Malaysia-based Genting Malyasia Berhad.
Our Turn NJ was financed by former Reebok chairman Paul Fireman and Meadowlands racetrack operator Jeff Gural. It spent about $8.5 million.
Two New York unions and DGMB Casino, which owns Resorts in Atlantic City, spent a combined $1 million.
The previous record was set in 1976 on Atlantic City gambling.
