State reopens discussions to purchase Fairfield Lake State Park from developer

The state of Texas and the Dallas-based developer who’s planning to purchase Fairfield Lake State Park have reopened discussions, a state official said, and are once again trying to reach a deal for the state to take over the property. The developer, though, said his firm is currently moving forward with its original plan to turn the property into a private community.

The state has leased the land for Fairfield Lake State Park, which sits about halfway between the Metroplex and Houston, for about 50 years. But the private owner of the land, energy company Vistra Corp., placed the property and surrounding acreage on the market and is slated to sell the land to Dallas-based development firm Todd Interests.

The development firm plans to transform the property into a gated community of high-end homes, complete with a golf course and clubhouse, the Star-Telegram previously reported.

And while the state didn’t initially make formal moves to purchase the property, in recent months state officials and legislators had urged Todd Interests to consider selling the park and surrounding land, totaling 5,000 acres, back to the state. The Legislature had also toyed with the idea of acquiring the state park land through use of eminent domain, although that tactic was later dropped.

As the battle over the park entered the public eye, discussions between the state and the developer stalled.

But on Thursday, the chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, said that conversations have started up again.

“There’s been discussions,” Aplin said. “I’m still hopeful and remain hopeful that we can reach terms.”

At a Thursday public meeting, the Parks and Wildlife Commission authorized the Parks and Wildlife Department’s executive director to “take all necessary steps to purchase approximately 5,000 acres in Freestone County including Fairfield Lake State Park,” according to a press release. Vistra could not immediately reached for comment.

Shawn Todd, the founder and president of Todd Interests, said in a Thursday interview that the Parks and Wildlife Department recently made an offer to purchase the development firm’s contract on the property. The firm responded with a counteroffer that, according to Todd, would have amounted to a “truly significant financial sacrifice” to the firm.

As of early evening on Thursday, several days after that counteroffer, Todd said the state had not responded.

“Our transaction is on a very short fuse,” Todd said. “The state did not meet the deadlines in the offer.”

He added that the firm’s counteroffer was an act of “benevolence” and said that, given the lack of response, Todd Interests was instead moving forward with its purchase agreement for the park and the surrounding property.

Asked about the residents who are pushing back on the idea of losing a state park, Todd pointed to the principles of private property rights and added that the state never owned the Fairfield Lake State Park property.

“They were no different than a tenant in a home or someone that leases an apartment. And that lease came to an end,” Todd said. “They obviously weren’t paying attention to prepare for this.”

He added that, when it comes to state’s handling of the Fairfield Lake property and its sale, he thinks it’s “disgusting ... that the state of Texas wouldn’t manage its business any better.”

This story has been updated to include comments from Todd Interests’ founder Shawn Todd.