Jim Corbett

USA TODAY Sports

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – Jim Justice, the Greenbrier Resort's refreshingly grounded billionaire owner, is such a people pleaser that the dead ringer for a burlier Bill Parcells concedes there are times he can't help himself.

When hounded by airport autograph seekers, Justice submits to his natural inclination and obliges.

This son of West Virginia coal country, whose grandparents grew up without indoor plumbing and whose father grew up an only child in a coal-camp town, isn't some wise-guy prankster.

After all, what's a regular-guy billionaire in the hospitality business to do when mistaken for the Hall-of-Fame, two-time Super Bowl-winning former New York Giants coach?

"I've been in airports and people walk up and say, 'Coach Parcells, can I have your autograph? And I say, 'Oh, sure. 'And I sign, 'Best wishes, Bill Parcells' -- because it's the happiest they can be,'' Justice told USA TODAY Sports during a sit-down Wednesday inside his Greenbrier office. "He (Parcells) is a lot better looking guy than I am.

"What the heck, I just want to make people happy.''

The 63-year-old Justice is worth $1.6 billion, ranked 1119th by Forbes Magazine and has had a Parcells-like impact in making the New Orleans Saints extremely happy.

Justice is hands down, the Saints' offseason MVP as the reason why the organization chose to conduct training camp at this iconic resort in the Allegheny mountains instead of at their steamy Metairie, La. headquarters during the next three weeks.

Training camp opens with an 8:50 a.m. practice Friday.

As Saints coach Sean Payton conducted his Thursday news conference, the rumble of a freight train forced him to pause several minutes.

"Not that we want to, but there is a guy that can stop that – Jim Justice,'' Payton said. "Trust me, he could stop it."

Justice said he had dinner with Payton on Thursday night where the Saints coach told him, "You exceeded expectations."

A Saints fan dating to the Archie Manning era, Justice lavished a small fortune of his own on building the epitome of NFL training camp sites including three lush fields and a training complex in less than 100 days.

"This is on me -- I spent $30 million of my own money,'' Justice said. "The Saints are paying for their rooms and their meals. Basically, that's it. The Saints didn't put money in this deal.

"And I wouldn't have wanted them to. ...The economic impact of the number of people who come to this camp will be substantial and great for tourism.''

Justice cites the Washington Redskins generating roughly a $10.5 million economic impact during their 2013 training camp in Richmond, Va.

The guy who accumulated his fortune in coal and agriculture is proud to bring jobs, the team he grew up loving and a positive spotlight to his economically-challenged state given the three-year agreement with the Saints.

A three-project tax credit from the West Virginia Tourism Development Act helped get the ball rolling on the Saints' move from their Metairie, La. headquarters.

One of the other projects here is the $250- million Greenbrier Medical Institute headed by renowned orthopedist, James Andrews. A Justice buddy, Andrews rebuilt Brees' throwing shoulder when he suffered a torn rotator cuff and a 360-tear of the labrum diving for a goal-line fumble in the San Diego Chargers' 2005 season finale.

Like most big deals, this one came together on a golf course.

At last year's Greenbrier Classic, Payton caddied for friend, Ryan Palmer. Months after the tournament, Payton called one of Justice's assistants before speaking directly with the main man.

"I think Sean fell in love with this place,'' Justice said. "But the driver is we hope we're building a high-end medical institute. And we'll use it for combines, the U.S. Ski team, sports performance enhancement training, everything.

"We think it's a good business decision.''

There is seating for 3,000 fans with standing room for many more.

Justice is a self-described "down home, people person'' who owns a modest home in nearby Lewisburg. He coaches the Greenbrier East High boys and girls basketball teams and hunts turkey, fishes and chases birdies on his golf course with NBA icon Jerry West, a West Virginia native and Greenbrier resident.

"There's a lady in Beckley, W. Va. who said, 'Jim is as common as an old shoe,''' Justice said. "Well, it's not real flattering, but it's me.''

During the dog days, the Saints can draw inspiration from the Greenbrier's history. It served as a Civil War and World War II hospital.

Justice provided his own healing, rescuing the Greenbrier from bankruptcy five years ago.

He moved to Lewisburg in 2000 to coach his daughter, Jill.

Jill Justice is now a doctor.

"I'm a football lover, but I've been a basketball coach 40 years,'' Justice said. "If you can maybe change a kid's life, that's what it's about.''

He hopes West Virginia kids who have never seen an NFL team live fall in love with the Saints and the game.

Would Justice consider buying an NFL franchise given the Buffalo Bills up are for sale?

"Oh, I don't know,'' he said. "That might be over my head.''