Golf course designer adds defamation to Greenbrier complaint

LEWISBURG – George Golf Design, a golf course design company that sued the Greenbrier Resort in September, has filed an amended complaint, charging the resort owner with defamation.

GGD and its president, Lester George, claimed the Greenbrier and Jim Justice owe $199,885 for design work they did on the Old White golf course, the Greenbrier Classic tournament entrance and the bus drop off and for a book George was hired to write.

Justice said the GGD lawsuit, and another filed by Aspen Corp., were not about failure to pay for work, but about shoddy workmanship. In October, Justice called the GGD lawsuit trivial and not worthy of comment.

In GGD's amended complaint, the company charges that Justice shamefully made malicious, spurious, unfounded, false statements that contracted the glowing commendations and awards GGD received from the golf community.

GGD is seeking any and all general damages stemming from harm caused to George's and GGD's reputation and business as a consequence of Justice's and the Greenbrier's defamatory statements; emotional distress; punitive damages; pre- and post-judgment interest; and any further relief deemed just.