The pro golfers at The Greenbrier Classic practice before competitive play gets underway in 2014. Greenbrier resort owner and Democratic candidate for West Virginia governor Jim Justice announced that he is scaling back the festivities surrounding The Classic this summer, while making the PGA event free to all.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Golf fans rejoice, concert fans lament — there are big changes coming this year to The Greenbrier Classic.
The PGA Tour event will, for the first time, be free and open to the public, but there will be no concerts at the annual July extravaganza, Greenbrier owner Jim Justice announced.
Justice, the owner of The Greenbrier resort and the Democratic Party’s candidate for governor, announced the changes via a news release sent by his political campaign.
In prior years, grounds passes for the week had started at about $80 and included tickets to the concerts that the resort put on in conjunction with the golf tournament.
Last year’s Greenbrier Classic Concert Series — Keith Urban and The Band Perry on Wednesday and Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton on Friday — drew an estimated 50,000 people.
Previous years’ concerts included Aerosmith, Bon Jovi and Tim McGraw. Justice timed his announcement to coincide with the Legislature going back into session to try to pass a state budget…