NFL: NFC Wild Card Playoff-Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys

Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; New Jersey governor Chris Christie (center) greets Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) and owner Jerry Jones prior to the game against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)

TRENTON — The owner of the Dallas Cowboys is a part-owner of a hospitality company recently awarded a lucrative Port Authority hospitality services contract, raising additional concerns about Gov. Christie's Sunday trip by private jet to Texas to see his favorite NFL team play, according to published reports.

On Monday, NJ Advance Media reported that Christie's recent trip by private jet to watch a Dallas Cowboys game from the luxury skybox of the NFL team's owner, Jerry Jones, was paid for entirely by Jones.

UPDATE:

Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL franchise, in partnership with the New York Yankees and investment fund Checketts Partners, all have a stake in Legends Hospitality, which won out in bidding to operate the observatory of the Port Authority controlled One World Trade Center when it opens later this year. Financial terms of that pact were never released to the public.

A Port Authority spokeswoman, Erica Dumas, said the 15-year agreement with Legends to operated the WTC1 observatory would generate $875 million for the agency. However, Dumas declined to provide details of the agreement or say how many other firms bid on the contract.

Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo both jointly oversee the administration of the Port Authority, and last week, both men rejected a far-reaching Port Authority reform bill, arguing for reforms penned by a panel they appointed that were far weaker.

PLUS: The 8 Faces Chris Christie.

The disclosure of the financial relationship between New Jersey and Jones raises more questions about whether Christie potentially violated ethics laws. Yesterday, in an interview with NJ Advance Media, the executive director of the state ethics commission, Susana Guerrero, said, “I personally don’t see anything contrary to the ethics laws."

In April 2010, in an updated version of the Code of Conduct for the Governor, Christie signed Executive Order 24 stipulating that “all public officials must avoid conduct that violates the public trust or creates an appearance of impropriety.”

NJ Advance Media staff writer Steve Strunsky contributed to this report.

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Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @claudebrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.