Fairfield Lake State Park land owner sells to developer

FAIRFIELD, Texas — Fairfield Lake State Park, 96 miles south of Dallas, is expected to close permanently by the end of the month because its landlord sold the land.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department received a lease termination notice from the owners, Vistra Corp., which operated the Big Brown coal-fired power plant at the location until it closed in 2018. Vistra says it has sold its 5,000-acre property to Dallas. real estate developer Sean Todd and his firm Todd Interests for $110.5 million.

Todd announced that the land would be developed into an exclusive gated community that includes multi-million dollar homes and a private golf course.

Fairfield isn’t the only state park on borrowed land. There are 14 other public parks such as Cedar Hill, Whitney Lake and Ray Roberts Lake that could face the same fate.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Chair Arch “Beaver” Aplin III said the agency attempted to acquire the state park site, but neither the company nor the buyer considered selling some or all of the land to the state. The park includes 1,460 acres of land and 2,400 acres of Fairfield Lake.

Known as a fishing spot, the lake attracts anglers who fish for bass, crappie, perch, catfish, tilapia, and red drum. The lake is also popular for swimming and kayaking, and there are 15 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails in the area. About 250 bird species have been recorded, including the bald eagle, and the park is a bird-watching paradise.

For over 50 years, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has leased land for the state park from energy companies Vistra and Luminant. Since 1976, the state has invested $72 million to renovate and improve the park.

“This is an unprecedented loss of a state treasure for Texans,” said David Yoskowitz, executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Demand for outdoor recreation exceeds supply in Texas, so the loss of even one state park is a setback for all of us who use public land.”

The park will close permanently on February 28, and the state will have 120 days to release it before turning it over to Todd Interests. During this time, park staff will begin removing equipment, transferring staff to other parks, and canceling upcoming campsite bookings. According to the press release, more than 2,700 people have already made reservations for dates after February 27th.

Aplin said the sale of the parkland came as a surprise and would have a huge impact on Fairfield, a city of about 2,800 people.

“They were a coal mining station for about 40 or 50 years,” he said. “So when they decided to close, we didn’t expect it… [We] there was no way to know.”

Since 2016, Irving-based Vistra Corporation has closed or announced the closure of 19 coal-fired power plants as the state’s once-biggest power producer switched to solar, investing about $850 million in seven solar projects in Texas.

“It’s one of their top attractions in their community,” Aplin said of the Fairfield neighborhood. “People come to the park and shop in the city of Fairfield. Last year, 83,000 people visited the park. This is a big event not only for our agency, but for the community and Freestone County.”

Rep. Angelia Orr, of R-Itasca, whose district includes the park, filed a bill on Tuesday that, if passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, would allow the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use eminent domain to confiscate the park’s land. .

Orr said lawmakers are also working on a bill to prevent more state parks from closing.

“This cherished corner of Texas has blessed our local families and countless visitors for generations, and it’s hard to see it lost,” she said. “I join park lovers in Freestone County and across the state in expressing my sincere disappointment at this news. As a result, we are now working on legislation to prevent this in the future in any of our other beautiful state parks.”

Luke Metzger, executive director of advocacy group Environment Texas, said the park’s closure was especially tragic during the 100th anniversary of the state park system.

“Our state parks are sacred to us Texans,” Metzger said. “Unfortunately, this loss means fewer nights of camping, fewer fish caught and fewer memories with our families.

“Texas desperately needs more state parks, not fewer,” he added.

State Senator Charles Schwertner of Georgetown, who chairs the committee on business and commerce, voiced his displeasure on Tuesday.

“Today’s heartbreaking announcement of the closure of Fairfield Lake State Park is a huge loss for Freestone County and all Texans who love our state’s unique parklands,” he said. “Unfortunately, Vistra and this private developer were unable to reach an agreement that would allow the State of Texas to purchase the park from Vistra in order to preserve it for future generations of Texans.”

Disclosure: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has provided financial support to The Texas Tribune, a non-profit, non-partisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial sponsors play no role in Tribune journalism. Find their complete list here.

This article first appeared in The Texas Tribune.

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