The Greenbrier and taxpayer dollars

The ABC television show "Good Morning America" had a segment this morning on where some of the $787 billion in stimulus funds is going and noted that $2 million has been earmarked to improve the terminal building at the Greenbrier Valley Airport.

"Welcome to the Greenbrier Valley Airport, gateway to the posh Greenbrier Valley resort," Jonathan Karl said in his report (a transcript is here). "A place where the rooms start at 500 bucks a night. The airport is about to get more than $2 million of stimulus funds to spruce up the terminal building. There are only two commercial flights a day, like this one, at the Greenbrier Airport. And on average, those planes only have three to nine passengers. And on this flight, the airport workers load a single piece of luggage. There are two pilots and two passengers. Your tax dollars keep this airport in business. In addition to the stimulus money, the federal government subsidizes commercial flights here to the tune of about $562 per passenger. Locals say the money is well spent."

Ouch.

In August, the PGA Tour announced a new event, the Greenbrier Classic, starting in 2010.

-- John Strege