PITTSBURGH -- Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said his office will take a closer look at state travel expenses because of Team 4's investigation.

Team 4's Paul Van Osdol reported state employees spent more than $1 million traveling out of state last year after Gov. Ed Rendell banned such trips.

"It concerns me greatly that you have uncovered what you have," Wagner said Monday.

Wagner is particularly concerned about the Gaming Control Board.

Just days after Rendell's travel ban took effect, top gaming board officials went to a conference in Rome and stayed at a luxurious hotel costing $434 per night.

They got $365 a day for meals -- which, under state rules, they did not have to account for. But receipts show some of the money was spent at the pool bar.

"That's outrageous to think that the taxpayers would pay for unlimited spending by a public employee," Wagner said. "There should be no extravagant hotels. There should be no extravagant meals."

Wagner was also alarmed that 11 gaming board employees went to Las Vegas for another conference in November. One of them -- David Kwait -- had announced his retirement before going to Vegas and left the board just weeks later.

"That is of no value to the taxpayer, zero value, and should not have occurred," Wagner said.

A gaming board spokesman said taxpayers were not affected because casinos pay the board's travel expenses.

"What they're really not saying is those dollars could go to property tax reductions," Wagner said.

Wagner was also concerned about globetrotting by economic development officials after the travel ban -- including one trip to Bilbao, Spain, Bordeaux, Lyon and Paris, France, and then Dusseldorf, Germany.

One of the purposes of that trip was to lay the groundwork for a European trip by Rendell -- a trip the governor canceled.

"A trip right now should be absolutely necessary to enhance or keep state business, or it should not occur. It's really that simple," Wagner said.

Wagner said he's planning an audit of the gaming board and will examine their travel expenses. He also plans to look at travel of other state agencies and find out why the governor's order banning travel was so widely ignored.