CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Greenbrier County commissioner believes the owners of The Greenbrier resort should determine whether to sell the business before they decide whether to bring table games or slot machines into the historic resort.

The president of Lewisburg's downtown business association just hopes the luxury resort gets its issues resolved sooner than later, so more people return to shop at the city's struggling businesses.

On Friday, CSX Corp. announced that investment bankers Goldman Sachs would help them examine their strategic options in the coming weeks.

Although CSX officials have not said whether the resort would be sold, hiring an investment-banking firm usually signals a potential sale. CSX is a Jacksonville, Fla.-based transportation and railroad company that owns The Greenbrier.

Goldman Sachs' review will be packaged alongside a review of the potential for gaming operations at the resort, according to CSX spokesman Gary Sease.

The results of both will be presented to the Greenbrier's board of directors, Sease said. He did not say when.

"We don't want to delay this, obviously," Sease said. "It's however much time it takes to do the review completely and thoroughly so the company has the best information to work with to make The Greenbrier a viable business entity going forward."

The Innovation Group, a consulting and management services firm for the gaming, leisure and hospitality industries, will review The Greenbrier's gaming potential. In the past, the company worked for Wheeling Downs, Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Hilton Hotels, Caesars, Playboy and Trump Casinos, according to its Web site.

Greenbrier County Commissioner Brad Tuckwiller said the resort's owners should first decide whether to sell. If they don't, he said CSX should then decide whether to open the resort to gaming. County voters approved a gaming referendum on Nov. 4.

Finally, Greenbrier officials need to resolve their union contract, Tuckwiller said.

Last year, The Greenbrier lost numerous contracts for conventions and meetings due to ongoing labor disputes between management and more than 1,000 union workers.

Large groups have canceled reservations, fearing workers would strike. Union workers have gone without a contract since Jan. 31, 2008, and the parties remain locked in conflict. Last month, the resort and its unions extended a no-strike, no-lockout promise while contract negotiations continue.

Resort spokeswoman Lynn Swann said Dec. 16 the promise with the Greenbrier Council of Labor Unions has been extended one year through January 2010 or until new contracts are ratified, whichever is earlier.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Greenbrier County commissioner believes the owners of The Greenbrier resort should determine whether to sell the business before they decide whether to bring table games or slot machines into the historic resort.

The president of Lewisburg's downtown business association just hopes the luxury resort gets its issues resolved sooner than later, so more people return to shop at the city's struggling businesses.

On Friday, CSX Corp. announced that investment bankers Goldman Sachs would help them examine their strategic options in the coming weeks.

Although CSX officials have not said whether the resort would be sold, hiring an investment-banking firm usually signals a potential sale. CSX is a Jacksonville, Fla.-based transportation and railroad company that owns The Greenbrier.

Goldman Sachs' review will be packaged alongside a review of the potential for gaming operations at the resort, according to CSX spokesman Gary Sease.

The results of both will be presented to the Greenbrier's board of directors, Sease said. He did not say when.

"We don't want to delay this, obviously," Sease said. "It's however much time it takes to do the review completely and thoroughly so the company has the best information to work with to make The Greenbrier a viable business entity going forward."

The Innovation Group, a consulting and management services firm for the gaming, leisure and hospitality industries, will review The Greenbrier's gaming potential. In the past, the company worked for Wheeling Downs, Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Hilton Hotels, Caesars, Playboy and Trump Casinos, according to its Web site.

Greenbrier County Commissioner Brad Tuckwiller said the resort's owners should first decide whether to sell. If they don't, he said CSX should then decide whether to open the resort to gaming. County voters approved a gaming referendum on Nov. 4.

Finally, Greenbrier officials need to resolve their union contract, Tuckwiller said.

Last year, The Greenbrier lost numerous contracts for conventions and meetings due to ongoing labor disputes between management and more than 1,000 union workers.

Large groups have canceled reservations, fearing workers would strike. Union workers have gone without a contract since Jan. 31, 2008, and the parties remain locked in conflict. Last month, the resort and its unions extended a no-strike, no-lockout promise while contract negotiations continue.

Resort spokeswoman Lynn Swann said Dec. 16 the promise with the Greenbrier Council of Labor Unions has been extended one year through January 2010 or until new contracts are ratified, whichever is earlier.

Union official Peter Bostic did not return a phone call Monday.

"Even a no-strike, no-lockout until January of 2010 does not resolve their long-term problem of trying to sell rooms to large scale groups," Tuckwiller said. "Those groups commit two to three years in advance."

Donna Toney, president of the Lewisburg Downtown Business Association, said some businesses in the city were hurt last year by high gas prices, a slumping economy at year's end and the Greenbrier's struggles to attract guests.

"We would like to see The Greenbrier get its act together," she said, even if that means a sale. "We are hopeful that something's going to happen quickly."

The business association has not taken a stance on whether the resort should allow table games and slot machines. "We are not a political group. We are primarily a marketing group," Toney said.

Toney owns High Country Boutique and Gallery in Lewisburg.

"My December was very disappointing," she said.

Business owners have learned to adapt to fewer customers in downtown Lewisburg, Toney said, and some have cut costs and extravagance.

"We're all just trying to be really smart with our businesses," she said. "But it just felt really slow [last year] ... it's more fun when there's a lot of people here."

 The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Davin White at

davinwh...@wvgazette.com

or 304-348-1254.