By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-06 14:55:18 | Updated at 2026-06-09 05:32:25
2 days ago
A US senator has been accused of running the iconic Greenbrier hotel into the ground to cover his debts as two Texans plot to take over.
Jim Justice, 75, bought the hotel out of bankruptcy in 2009, and for years, locals said he kept the historic establishment well-kept.
But now, they say, he's running it into the ground, letting the paint chip and the upholstery wear down, among other issues.
Justice is also in millions of dollars in debt, which Robert and Blake Rowling, a father-son duo, paid $289 million of in March, according to The Wall Street Journal.
They have accused Justice of using the hotel's funds to take care of his personal debts, which include those from his coal mining business that he sold to a Russian company in 2009 for $400 million and rebought for $5 million in 2015, where he inherited millions of dollars in environmental liabilities.
Now, the Rowlings are attempting to acquire the Greenbrier due to the debt owed, and they have support in both Texas and West Virginia.
'We’ve had people coming out of the woodwork, saying: "Gosh, I hope you can save this gem of West Virginia,"' Blake told WSJ.
The Rowlings, who own Omni Hotels & Resorts, say they can run the hotel better than the senator, who they say has neglected it since returning to office.
Two Texans, Blake and Robert Rowling, are attempting to take over the Greenbrier Hotel
It is currently owned by Senator Jim Justice and his family, who allegedly has millions in debts that the Rowlings paid off
They also accuse the senator of skipping payments to contractors and employees, which the Democrat-turned-Republican denied.
'I’ve poured about everything I’ve got into the Greenbrier, and I’d do it again tomorrow,' Justice told WSJ.
'I love that place beyond all good sense. It’s not just bricks and mortar to me.'
His attorney, Steven Ruby, has also denied the Rowlings' accusations, saying they are baseless, the WSJ reported.
In an April meeting, the Rowlings said Justice also threatened them, saying he had 'influence over or had appointed all the state court judges' and that they wouldn't be able to 'get a fair trial in West Virginia.'
Ruby said the allegation was 'categorically false.'
Justice also announced last month that he got $500 million in financing that will cover his debt to the Rowlings, WSJ reported.
The Rowlings aren't too sure the financing actually exists and called it 'highly speculative.'
The Rowlings paid off $289 million in debt and say they have the support to take over the hotel
Justice has been ordered to report to the court if the financing deal falls through.
Justice's finances took a change after he sold his coal business, Bluestone Resources, in 2009, which made him a billionaire.
That same year, he bought the hotel for $20 million and added a casino, wedding chapel, and started hosting golf tournaments on the grounds, WSJ reported.
But his finances took a turn for the worse when he bought Bluestone back and inherited debt from it.
In 2023, a judge garnished Justice's wages while he was governor to repay a loan for mining equipment. A different judge also seized the company helicopter to help pay off a $10million loan. The aircraft sold for $1.4million, WSJ reported.
A year later, during his Senate campaign, he nearly lost the hotel to auction, but he was able to stave off losing it by agreeing to repay $9 million, the outlet reported.
In November 2025, the family faced more financial woes after a judge order him and his wife to pay back $5.1 million in unpaid taxes.
A Louisiana bank also said he owed $47.7 million from a Cares Act loan from the pandemic - a loan that was garnering $20,000 per day in interest. Justice said this would be taken care of in court.
Guests have complained that the iconic hotel has chipped paint and the upholstery is worn
Justice said he has $500 million in funding that will cover his debt to the Rowlings, but the father and son are suspicious
The funding will allow the hotel to stay in the Justice family
The family was also ordered to pay $35 million in a 2020 court judgment after a Kentucky coal operator accused them of hiding assets, which Justice denies.
The senator has appealed the decision.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Justice's lawyer and the Rowlings for comment.
