CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The family of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, who is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, has successfully settled debts related to their historic hotel, The Greenbrier, thereby averting foreclosure.
This iconic establishment, featuring 710 rooms, has played host to notable figures including U.S. presidents and royal guests, and has served as a venue for congressional retreats. However, it faced the possibility of being sold at auction outside a Lewisburg courthouse last summer after JPMorgan Chase transferred a long-standing loan taken out by Justice to Beltway Capital, a collections agency that claimed the loan was in default.
In August, the Justice family announced they reached an agreement with Beltway Capital to pay a specific sum, achieving full settlement by October 24, 2024. This arrangement postponed the previously scheduled auction date from late August to October 25, contingent on the family settling their debts.
On Wednesday, attorneys for the Justice family communicated through a press release that they had “satisfied its obligations” to Beltway Capital, confirming that the debt had been fully paid off.
“This important milestone is part of the family’s ongoing dedication to ensuring the lasting stability and prosperity of their assets, especially The Greenbrier Resort, America’s Premier Resort,” stated the family in their announcement.
During a local media session on Wednesday, Governor Justice reiterated his belief that the challenge with Beltway was politically charged and lacked fairness.
“It has cost us an unbelievable amount of money, and we felt we had no option,” he remarked. “You have to choose—allow 2,000 people to suffer due to an unwarranted situation facing the Justice family, or find a solution. That’s what we did; it wasn’t pleasant and it was quite expensive.”
The Greenbrier employs approximately 2,000 individuals.
Justice is competing in the U.S. Senate race against former Wheeling Mayor and Democrat Glenn Elliott for the position vacated by outgoing U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, who recently switched his affiliation from Democrat to Independent.
Having a substantial business portfolio and a net worth estimated at $513 million by Forbes in 2021, Justice has faced allegations in legal proceedings concerning delays in settling millions in family business debts, along with fines related to unsafe conditions at his coal mines.
He has been in office since 2017, beginning his two terms as governor after purchasing The Greenbrier out of bankruptcy in 2009.
The hotel, located in White Sulphur Springs, hosted a PGA Tour golf tournament from 2010 to 2019 and has been a training camp destination for NFL teams. Additionally, a formerly secret 112,000-square-foot underground bunkers built for Congress during the Cold War is now open for tours at The Greenbrier.