HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 33

(By Delegates T. Campbell and Canterbury)

Requesting that the “Certified Business Location” signs on roads that enter Greenbrier County be replaced with signs that read “Home of the Greenbrier – America’s Resort”.

    Whereas, The Greenbrier is a Forbes four-star and AAA Five Diamond Award winning luxury resort located in Greenbrier County; and

    Whereas, In 1858 The Grand Central Hotel was built on the grounds of The Greenbrier, but known to long-time patrons as the Old White. This hotel boasted three stories of porches to catch summer breezes and ample space to promenade one's stylish attire. While it was torn down in 1922, in 1913 The Greenbrier Hotel was built and the name of the property was officially changed to The Greenbrier; and

    Whereas, For the one hundred years following the end of the Civil War, The Greenbrier was one of the classic railroad resorts in North America. During that period trains brought visitors from New York, Washington, Richmond, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and scores of points in between; and

    Whereas, in September 1942 the U.S. Army purchased The Greenbrier estate, converted the hotel into a two thousand-bed hospital. In four years over twenty-four thousand soldiers were admitted and treated, while the resort served the war effort as a surgical and rehabilitation center. At the war's conclusion, the Army closed the hospital. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway reacquired the property from the government in 1946. The company immediately commissioned a comprehensive interior redecoration by the noted designer Dorothy Draper. The origin of The Greenbrier's distinctive décor goes back to this much-publicized redecoration, at a period when Dorothy Draper was at the peak of her fame; and

    Whereas, Twenty-six Presidents, numerous foreign dignitaries and other notable persons have stayed at The Greenbrier; and

    Whereas, The Greenbrier was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and in 1990 became a National Historical Landmark; and

    Whereas, At the dawn of the Twenty-First Century, attention turned to an extraordinarily ambitious expansion, the largest at The Greenbrier for many decades. The Greenbrier Sporting Club developed selected portions of the resort's six thousand five hundred acres into neighborhoods of custom-designed homes featuring panoramic views of the surrounding Allegheny Mountains; and

    Whereas, In May 2009 a prominent West Virginian, Jim Justice, purchased The Greenbrier and turned his considerable energies into plans to revitalize America's Resort. He immediately presented his vision of a casino like no other, one that would include shops, restaurants and entertainment in a smoke-free environment. Construction began in August 2009, and Carleton Varney was commissioned to extend the legendary "High Style of Dorothy Draper" throughout the new entertainment venue. Casino Club at The Greenbrier opened in grand fashion on July 2, 2010; and

    Whereas, Mr. Justice arranged to relocate a PGA Tour event with a multi-year contract under the name The Greenbrier Classic. The first tournament was held July 26 through August 1, 2010; and

    Whereas, The Greenbrier stands as the nation’s most recognizable luxury resort and is a source of pride not only for its many employees and citizens of Greenbrier County but also for all West Virginians; therefore, be it

     Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to replace the “Certified Business Location” signs on roads that enter Greenbrier County with signs that read “Home of the Greenbrier – America’s Resort”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates, forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.