Luxury development is planned at state park in Freestone County

Some Texans soon may be able to enjoy a lazy river, swim-up bar, pickleball courts, whiffleball stadium and other amenities at the property currently known as Fairfield Lake State Park. But they’ll likely need a gate code to get in.

The Fort Worth StarTelegram on Thursday revealed marketing materials for the forthcoming project from Todd Interests, a luxury developer based in Dallas. The newspaper acquired the brochure-style presentation, it said, via public records requests.

The state park, located on 1,460 acres in Freestone County, east of Waco, was leased by the state for nearly fifty years until its owner, Vistra Corp., in February announced the sale of the land to Todd Interests. It closed at the end of the month, only to be reopened two weeks later for daily use, with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explaining that although it had received notice to vacate by June.

“While we still stand committed to reaching a compromise that would save Fairfield Lake State Park for future use, our team will be working hard to keep this gem as accessible as possible for as long as possible,” said Rodney Franklin, TPWD director of state parks.

Many visitors have taken advantage of the opportunity, since then, to visit the park, which is centered on the 21,000-acre manmade Fairfield Lake and known for its hiking, birding and bass fishing.

Todd has maintained that its plans for the property are confidential, but reporting has found that the developer plans to turn the property from a state park into a gated community, complete with multimillion dollar estates and luxurious amenities.

However, the developer’s CEO in January texted a 32-slide presentation to Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, the chairman of the state Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Because Aplin is a public official, the Star-Telegram explains, that meant the document became subject to Texas’ public information laws.

Aplin, who is also the founder and CEO of Bucee’s, is among the many Texans who have expressed distress at seeing the park be sold to private interests after the state’s own offer to purchase the land was rejected.

“To lose a gem like Fairfield Lake, it’s just horrible,” he said in February, shortly after the sale was announced.