A Virginia bank, Carter Bank & Trust, is moving forward with plans to auction off land at the Greenbrier Sporting Club, located within the posh resort owned by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. The auction, scheduled for March 5 at the Greenbrier County Courthouse in Lewisburg, aims to recover more than $300 million in longstanding unpaid business loans owed by the Justice family.
The Greenbrier Sporting Club, established in 2000, is a private equity club and residential community situated within The Greenbrier resort, which Justice acquired out of bankruptcy in 2009. The resort, renowned for hosting U.S. presidents and royalty, also served as a venue for PGA Tour events from 2010 to 2019.
In a 2021 lawsuit against Carter Bank, Governor Justice disclosed that he personally owes $368 million in remaining loan debt to the bank. The lawsuit, filed by Justice and his companies, cited a significant breakdown in the business relationship following the death of the bank’s founder in 2017. Although the 2021 lawsuit was dismissed, Justice’s companies initiated another lawsuit against the bank in November of last year.
Justice, a Republican, faces scrutiny for delayed payments of fines owed for violations such as unsafe working conditions in his coal mines. Despite his business challenges, he is completing his second term as governor this year and is vying for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Joe Manchin, who has announced he will not seek reelection.
Last year, several properties owned by Justice across three counties were slated for auction to settle delinquent real estate taxes.
Efforts to reach Governor Justice’s office and his companies for comment were unsuccessful as of Tuesday afternoon.