It sounded like a fairy tale: Local knight makes good and buys Greenbrier Resort. Makes management deal with Marriott, an early bidder for the property, and all live comfy ever after in the spacious luxury of what the Greenbrier was and what it could be again.

Now the news has turned sour. The deal looks as if it is over and the property is once again in limbo. Or will it be owned and managed by Marriott this time? They made off with a nice amount of change from the failed partnership–money that could put into the property.

What will happen to the gambling notion that was so heavily touted? Will there still be a casino? That’s not a common feature of many Marriott managed properties, but you can add the question to the wait-and-see what happens column.

We just want The Greenbrier to be what it was. We are less interested in who owns it and most interested in it being the Grande Dame of West Virginia. Let’s hope that becomes the reality.