First round of Greenbrier Classic tees off Thursday
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John Hingsbergen The view from the first tee at The Greenbrier's Old White Course |
July 28, 2010 ·
Competition for the Greenbrier Classic is set to begin Thursday at White Sulphur Springs. The event is expected to have a significant economic impact on West Virginia.
The first round of the first ever
Greenbrier Classic will be underway at 7:00 a.m. Thursday. This year’s tournament is one
of six in the current contract with The Greenbrier resort, owned since last
year by the Justice Family Group.
The event is one of over 40 on the PGA
Tour and is being managed by a new non-profit group, Old White Charities.
Tim McNeely is Tournament Director for the
Greenbrier Classic. He says the
financial investment by The Greenbrier and other sponsors will provide a big
payoff for West Virginia including the hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other community businesses near White Sulphur Springs.
He says, "That all adds up. Certainly we expect this event to be significant."
McNeely estimates that the Greenbrier Classic
will bring in as much as $50 million or more to West Virginia and the region
surrounding The Greenbrier Resort