The Greenbrier

Early development

A spring of sulphur water is at the center of the property, surrounded by the white-columned spring house, topped by the green dome that has been the symbol of the Greenbrier for generations. Beginning in 1778, Mrs. Anderson, a local pioneer, adopted the local Native American tradition of "taking the waters" to relieve her chronic rheumatism. Based on this resource, for the first 125 years, the resort was known by the name White Sulphur Springs. It was a destination for people during the summers who wanted to escape coastal heat and diseases. As the resort developed, cottages were built, many of which still stand. Notable guests included Martin Van Buren and Henry Clay.

In 1858, the Grand Central Hotel was built. It came to be known as "The White" and, later, "The Old White". During the Civil War, as control of the property passed between the Confederate Army and the Union Army, it was almost burned to the ground. After the Civil War, the resort reopened under Confederate Major Cornelius Boyle and became a vacation place for Southerners and Northerners alike. The "White Sulphur Manifesto", the only political paper published by Confederate General Robert E. Lee after the Civil War, advocated the merging of the two sides. The resort became a center of regional post-war society after the arrival of the railroad, which provided direct service to the resort's gates by 1869.

The Greenbrier

In 1910, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad purchased the property and added the current bath wing, which opened in 1911. C&O's improvements also included a six-story, 250-room hotel, the central wing of the present hotel. Designed by Frederick Julius Sterner, it opened on September 25, 1913. At this time, what had been for decades a summer establishment was converted to a year-round resort, and the name was changed to The Greenbrier, for neighboring Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The surrounding town had already incorporated in 1909 as White Sulphur Springs, the name the resort used previously. The railroad introduced the game of golf, which became a defining feature of the resort. The first small course opened in 1910, and a full 18-hole course, designed by Charles B. Macdonald, in 1913. That course is today known as "The Old White TPC". The Old White Hotel structure was demolished in 1922, because it failed to meet fire codes. In 1931, the north wing was added, crossing the original 1913 wing like a "T", nearly doubling the hotel's size.

Just after the United States entered World War II, the resort was called on December 17, 1941 to serve as a relocation center for Axis diplomats held as enemies of the United States. The first detainees were German; later, they were joined by Japanese diplomats previously kept at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia.

The hotel briefly reopened for the 1942 vacation season, but was soon after commandeered by the U.S. Army for use as a hospital. The Army paid $3.3 million for the resort, which had been valued at $5.4 million, and took over control of the property on September 1, 1942. They converted the Greenbrier to the 2000-bed Ashford General Hospital, named for Bailey Ashford. The hospital opened on October 16, 1943 and treated nearly 25,000 patients, before closing on June 30, 1946. The property was then sold back to the C&O railroad, for just under the $3.3 million they had been paid in 1942.

C&O hired internationally renowned interior designer Dorothy Draper to redecorate and restore the Greenbrier. Draper oversaw every element of the property's design, combining bold colors, classical influences, and modern touches. The Greenbrier's reopening, celebrated from April 15 to April 18, 1948, was an international social event. Notable attendees included the Duke of Windsor and his wife, Wallis Simpson (who honeymooned with her first husband at the Greenbrier in 1916), Bing Crosby, and members of the Kennedy family. The resort has also hosted foreign dignitaries, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, high-level discussions on the allocation of the Allies' resources during World War II, and post-war North American talks in 1955.

The Bunker

In the late 1950s, the U.S. government approached the Greenbrier for the creation of a secret emergency relocation center to house Congress in the event of a nuclear holocaust. The classified underground facility, "Project Greek Island", was built at the same time as the West Virginia Wing, an above-ground hotel addition, from 1959 to 1962.

The bunker was kept stocked with supplies for thirty years, but was never used as an emergency location, and its existence was not acknowledged by the government. After Ted Gup of The Washington Post reported on it in 1992, the government immediately decommissioned the bunker. Following renovations, much of the space is now used as a data storage facility by CSX IP for the private sector, while a portion is open to the public as a tourist attraction, in which visitors can tour the now declassified facilities, known as The Bunker.

Justice family ownership

On March 20, 2009, the resort filed for bankruptcy, listing debts of up to $500 million and assets of $100 million. It was hurt by competition from other resorts, and declining post-war traffic as patrons shifted to destinations they could reach by automobile. The resort lost $35 million in 2008 and laid off 650 employees, or half its workforce. After an initial announcement of a sale to Marriott, Justice Family Group, LLC purchased the resort for $20 million. Marriott asserted a valid contract, but settled with Justice. The resort closed briefly after the 2016 West Virginia flood, though flood victims were offered rooms in the hotel.

When Justice was elected governor in 2017, his daughter took over day-to-day control at Greenbrier.^{[citation needed]} The Greenbrier was used as collateral for loans taken out by the Justice family, including to both Carter Bank & Trust as well as a $50 million loan from JPMorgan Chase, and tax liens were placed on other Justice properties for non-payment of taxes, for which the Justices were in court several times. In 2024, the hotel narrowly avoided foreclosure, after JP Morgan Chase sold a loan it held to Beltway Capital, which declared The Greenbrier in default.

In 2026, a subsidiary of TRT Holdings, parent company of Omni Hotels & Resorts, acquired $289 million in past‑due, first‑lien loans tied to the Greenbrier from Carter Bank & Trust. The purchase did not transfer ownership of the resort. However, White Sulphur Springs Holdings LLC, the TRT subsidiary that acquired the debt, later filed in federal court seeking appointment of a receiver to take control of the property. The Justice family subsequently filed a separate lawsuit in state court alleging that TRT and Carter Bank acted improperly in their efforts to assume control of the resort.

In July 2026, The Justice Family Group sold a 51% controlling interest in the resort to Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, creating a $500 million joint venture to operate the property. The deal also involved the dismissal of the ongoing court conflicts with White Sulphur Springs Holdings.

Athletics

The Greenbrier's location in the eastern United States, along with its hotel accommodations and athletic facilities including golf, tennis, and basketball courts, has made it a frequent training site for professional sports teams.

Golf

The resort has a significant place in the history of golf. The original nine holes were designed by Alexander H. Findlay. In 1944, Sam Snead became the head golf professional at Greenbrier and in retirement held the position of pro emeritus. In the 21st century, that title has been held by Tom Watson and Lee Trevino.

The Greenbrier was the site of the 1979 Ryder Cup, the first to be contested under the format of United States versus Europe, which continues, and hosted the 1994 Solheim Cup, the women's equivalent. The Greenbrier American Express Championship on the Senior PGA Tour (now the PGA Tour Champions) was held from 1985-1987.

The Greenbrier Classic began in 2010. On March 28, 2011, The Old White Course became a TPC course. The 2016 event was canceled due to flooding. All four golf courses on the property were damaged by the flood. On July 12, 2016, one modified course opened for play. In 2020, the PGA Tour canceled its TPC affiliation with the Greenbrier, which hosted an LIV Golf event in 2023.

The Casino Club at the Greenbrier

In 2008, voters narrowly approved a referendum that would permit casino-style gambling at the hotel. The Justice family promised that gambling facilities at the resort would be "tasteful" if established.^{[citation needed]} The temporary Tavern Casino opened in 2009, followed by the permanent Casino Club at the Greenbrier in 2010. Simulcast horse racing and associated betting were added in 2013.

Sources

• The History of The Greenbrier: America's Resort by Robert Conte