Lewisburg, WV- Tourism was the primary topic of discussion in the Greenbrier County commission’s latest Tuesday morning meeting, July 7, 2026. Commissioners considered raising the county’s current HOT (Hotel Occupancy Tax) Rate, which currently sits at 3%, the lowest rate of any county in West Virginia with an HOT ordinance.
According to Commissioner Richie Holiday, “All other counties are at a six percent rate.” While numerous Greenbrier County hotels/motels have already adopted a higher 6% rate on their own, Holiday added, “The current county HTO ordinance we have is outdated, it did not take into consideration all of the updated ways people could stay with Vrbo and online brokers”.
Commissioner Woody Hanna also noted that if the tax was to be raised, some additional profit from tourism could be allocated to fund the ongoing Greenbrier County Sportsplex project, which “has sat idle for years.” Hanna stressed that a new multi-sports complex, the “Sportsplex”, if built, would greatly benefit our local athletic teams and visiting sports teams alike. Commission President Lowell Rose agreed to further review the proposal and set a date for public hearing on the matter at the next meeting.
County leaders also moved to approve additional funding for maintenance of the new Meadow River Rail Trail; the latest section of the trail having opened in June 2026. County Commissioner and Executive Director of the Meadow River Valley Association, Matthew Ford, gave an update on the success of the trail since its opening, citing positive feedback from locals and tourists across Greenbrier and Fayette counties. “Lots of trails within [the neighboring] New River Gorge National Park are all high adventure mountain bike trails, so when people ask about an easier “rail-trail,” the National Park Service has actually been sending them to Meadow River Valley,” which has been an unexpected and welcomed perk.
