Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., and his family have filed a lawsuit in Greenbrier County Circuit Court to prevent what they describe as an attempted takeover of their historic Greenbrier resort. The dispute arises after an affiliate of Omni Hotels & Resorts, backed by TRT Holdings, acquired approximately $289 million in loans tied to Justice family businesses from Carter Bank [1]. The Justice family alleges that Omni and several financial partners used 'deceptive' tactics to orchestrate a takeover of the property [1].
The complaint details that the Justices were actively seeking to pay off the debt and had secured potential financing. They claim that TRT executives initially proposed forgiving $200 million in debt in exchange for a 50% ownership stake and management control of the resort, a framework to which Justice allegedly agreed. However, the family asserts that TRT reversed its position the next day and subsequently issued a notice of default, which the Justices argue was intended to block their ability to repay the loans at an agreed price of about $341 million [1]. The family is now requesting the court to halt any foreclosure or asset seizure and to allow them to repay the debt under what they consider fair terms [1].
The complaint further accuses Carter Bank and TRT of bad faith in negotiations, including raising payoff demands and imposing tight deadlines that allegedly undermined the family's refinancing efforts. Additionally, the Justices allege that TRT improperly obtained confidential financial and operational information about the Greenbrier during earlier deal discussions and later used that information to acquire the debt and pursue control of the resort [1].
Conversely, White Sulphur Springs Holdings, the Omni-backed entity, has filed a federal receivership lawsuit seeking to place the Greenbrier and related businesses under court-controlled management. In this filing, the entity alleges 'waste, fraud and abuse' within the Justice business empire, including claims that resort revenues were diverted to other ventures, taxes went unpaid, and certain employee-related obligations were not fully met. The filing also references ongoing financial and legal pressures facing the Justice family's businesses, such as tax disputes, loan defaults, and other litigation [1].
CONCLUSION
The legal battle over the Greenbrier resort highlights significant financial and operational disputes between the Justice family and entities affiliated with Omni Hotels & Resorts. With allegations of bad faith, financial mismanagement, and competing lawsuits, the outcome could have major implications for the ownership and management of the historic property.