Greenbrier Owners Announce Casino Closure to Expedite Refinancing Deal

_{The Greenbrier Resort made the difficult decision to close its casino due to financial struggles. (Photo: Andriy Blokhin / Alamy)}

The family of Sen. Jim Justice (R-West Virginia) announced Wednesday night that it had filed a notice with a federal court announcing they plan to close the Greenbrier Resort's casino as part of an attempt to stave off a court-ordered takeover of the resort.

According to The Greenbrier, the closure would force the layoff of about 90 workers and reduce revenue for the state of West Virginia while the Justice family attempts to close a refinancing deal with Kennedy Lewis Investment Management.

Mounting Debts Threaten Justice Family Ownership

That refinancing plan could provide up to $500 million in loans for Justice Family Group LLC Holdings, the firm that owns the Greenbrier.

That ownership is threatened by a potential court-appointed receivership. In April 2026, White Sulphur Springs Holdings asked a U.S. District Court to allow a receiver to take control of Greenbrier’s assets, operations, and finances. The request was made due to the more than $300 million in debt tied to the Greenbrier, with White Sulphur Springs alleging that the resort was being mismanaged and at risk of falling even deeper into debt.

In the filing, White Sulphur Springs alleged that the Greenbrier owed millions in unpaid taxes – the IRS filed federal tax lien notices against Greenbrier Hotel Corp. and Greenbrier Clinic totaling $8.83 million on Monday – and was not paying its creditors. It also claimed that revenue from the resort was being funneled to other businesses owned by the Justice family.

The Justices then filed their own lawsuit, claiming that lenders were attempting to take the resort from them by deceptive means.

Lottery Says Closure Theat ‘Deeply Concerning’

In Wednesday’s filing, made to the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, the Justice family claimed that the West Virginia Lottery has refused to consider their refinancing plan. Chief Judge Frank Volk had set an Aug. 14 deadline for the family to provide an update on their efforts to finalize the deal, and the Justices have said they expect the transaction to close by then.

But the state lottery disputed that account. On Thursday, the West Virginia Lottery released a letter it had sent to a Justice family attorney noting that it had only learned on Tuesday that the Greenbrier was at risk of closing if the agency didn’t approve an ownership change by Aug. 7.

“That threat – especially without prior notice – is deeply concerning,” West Virginia Lottery Acting Director David Bradley wrote to attorney Steve Ruby. The letter also notes that Bradley had previously told Ruby on July 10 that the West Virginia Lottery would need time to review the required financial documents related to any such transactions, particularly given the financial and operational concerns around the resort.

“Given that the Greenbrier is on financial watch, I believe it is necessary for you to explain, in writing, whether there are other debts to the state or federal government that have not yet been reported,” Bradley wrote.

In a reply on Thursday, Ruby said the Greenbrier would be willing to keep the casino open while it closes its refinancing deal, if possible.

“We would of course be very pleased to be able to close our refinancing and continue to operate the casino for a brief period while Lottery approval remains pending,” Ruby wrote. “Please advise whether we can enter into an agreement to permit a transition period of that nature in order to maintain casino operations.”

The Greenbrier Resort was built in 1913 near White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia in the Allegheny Mountains. Along with a casino, the resort features more than 35 retail outlets, 710 guest rooms, and a variety of opportunities to enjoy sports and recreational opportunities. The luxury resort has hosted dozens of U.S. presidents, and houses an underground bunker that was designed to serve as an emergency shelter for the U.S. Congress during the Cold War.