WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- A document released by a union official negotiating a new contract with The Greenbrier shows the four-star resort's finances have taken a hit in recent years.

Council of Labor Union official Peter Bostic released the 18-page document outlining the White Sulphur Springs resort's finances between 1999 and 2006 to The Register-Herald of Beckley.

According to the document, the number of guests at the resort hit a peak of 250,000 in 1999 and bottomed in 2004 to about 200,000. The document said the resort has operated in the red since 2003.

Resort spokeswoman Lynn Swann declined Monday to comment on the report.

Bostic told the newspaper that copies of the document, dated Sept. 14, 2007, were handed out during a preliminary meeting between labor officials and resort executives. There was no indication from the resort that the information needed to be kept secret, he said.

A master labor agreement and nine additional agreements expired on Jan. 31. Both sides extended the contracts to Feb. 28, but employees have been working without a contract since.

Last week, the union asked the Greenbrier County Commission to place a referendum on November's ballot that would allow the resort to create a casino. Greenbrier County voters defeated a similar effort in 2000.

Union officials say a casino could generate enough income to help cover wage and benefit packages sought by the union.

The document says while the overall luxury resort market "continues to grow rapidly," the resort's revenue "has been flat." It also says "major expense drivers include wage and benefits, utilities and marketing costs."

Between 1999 and 2006, the document says, employee benefit costs increased from $15.5 million to $23.5 million.

The Greenbrier is owned by Richmond, Va.-based CSX Corp.

In its second-quarter report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in July, CSX noted that its resort operations were down in 2008 due to decreased group business.

The threat of a possible strike prompted many groups to cancel their planned meetings at the resort.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- A document released by a union official negotiating a new contract with The Greenbrier shows the four-star resort's finances have taken a hit in recent years.

Council of Labor Union official Peter Bostic released the 18-page document outlining the White Sulphur Springs resort's finances between 1999 and 2006 to The Register-Herald of Beckley.

According to the document, the number of guests at the resort hit a peak of 250,000 in 1999 and bottomed in 2004 to about 200,000. The document said the resort has operated in the red since 2003.

Resort spokeswoman Lynn Swann declined Monday to comment on the report.

Bostic told the newspaper that copies of the document, dated Sept. 14, 2007, were handed out during a preliminary meeting between labor officials and resort executives. There was no indication from the resort that the information needed to be kept secret, he said.

A master labor agreement and nine additional agreements expired on Jan. 31. Both sides extended the contracts to Feb. 28, but employees have been working without a contract since.

Last week, the union asked the Greenbrier County Commission to place a referendum on November's ballot that would allow the resort to create a casino. Greenbrier County voters defeated a similar effort in 2000.

Union officials say a casino could generate enough income to help cover wage and benefit packages sought by the union.

The document says while the overall luxury resort market "continues to grow rapidly," the resort's revenue "has been flat." It also says "major expense drivers include wage and benefits, utilities and marketing costs."

Between 1999 and 2006, the document says, employee benefit costs increased from $15.5 million to $23.5 million.

The Greenbrier is owned by Richmond, Va.-based CSX Corp.

In its second-quarter report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in July, CSX noted that its resort operations were down in 2008 due to decreased group business.

The threat of a possible strike prompted many groups to cancel their planned meetings at the resort.