The historic Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia has closed down indefinitely because of severe damage caused by flooding.
Owner and CEO Jim Justice says he is not sure how long the resort, which has 710 rooms and employs about 1,800 people in the town of White Sulphur Springs, will be shuttered.
The property has been open since 1778 and has been visited by almost 30 presidents, including Dwight Eisenhower.
At least 26 people have died after torrential rains caused flooding that destroyed more than 100 homes. President Barrack Obama has sent in federal aid.
Justice, the Democratic nominee for West Virginia governor, bought the resort in 2009. It is located on 11,000 acres of land and houses almost two dozen restaurants.
The resort also has a 112,544-square-foot emergency bunker that was once at the ready for the U.S. President and serves as a tourist destination.
Justice says water levels measured on one of the golf courses show the highest levels since 1915.
The property is now providing assistance to residents who’ve lost their homes to the flooding.
“We’re trying to make it so they can halfway have a bed to lie down and clean up and we’re supplying food to everyone we can, including the National Guard,” Justice says.
The resort and the PGA Tour have also canceled The Greenbrier Classic, a golf tournament that had been scheduled for July 7 to 10. Ticket-holders will get refunds.
Three of the resort’s four public courses are in bad shape and will take about a year to repair, Justice says.
“Everything is damaged,” Justice says. “We have water in the tennis building, in our chapel and our spa and everything.”
The last few paying guests departed on Saturday.
Justice says the resort is providing food and shelter to displaced residents of the town and is raising money to benefit them. He says he will continue to pay employees.
“The Greenbrier has been here a long time,” he says. “For so many people, it’s touched their lives.”
