Todd Interests, owner of Fairfield Lake State Park, blasts Texas Parks & Wildlife for its ‘brazen abuse of power’ in eminent domain battle

FAIRFIELD, Texas (KWTX) – Shawn Todd, of Todd Interests, the firm that owns the land in and around Fairfield Lake State Park, held a news conference at the Freestone County Courthouse to dispute accusations and claims made by state officials who want to seize the property.

The firm is embroiled in an eminent domain battle with The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department after purchasing the 5,000 acre property for a reported $110.5 million earlier this year.

“Today’s meeting was to expose the inconsistencies, the false statements, and in my opinion, this total false narrative that’s been spun by Parks and Wildlife that they’ve made any sort of bona fide offer to us as a property owner,” Shawn Todd, CEO of Todd Interests, told KWTX. “They haven’t.”

On June 10, TPWD voted unanimously to use eminent domain to seize the property after Todd Interests reportedly rejected a $25 million offer for the property.

“The open and brazen abuse of power of politically appointed individuals, not elected individuals, and their weaponization of a state agency to wrongfully take something that’s not theirs,” Todd said.

WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE:

But not everyone in attendance agreed. Protestors demanded that Todd turn over the land to the state for the public to enjoy, not just the wealthy.

“Todd is proposing to convert that state park to a playground for the rich, a luxury gated community that only wealthy people will be able to use,” Luke Metzger, the executive director of Environment Texas, said. “We think that’s a crying shame. We need more parks, we can’t afford to lose a state park on this centennial year.”

Todd’s attorney, Edward Vassallo of Vassallo & Salazar, says protestors should blame the state, not Todd Interests.

“They had five years to save the park, and they did nothing,” Edward Vassallo, an attorney representing Todd Interests, said. “What the message is… that when you take a property right, whether it’s 5,000 acres or a drainage easement in front of your home, you have certain duties of notice, representation, appraisal of what’s taken, negotiations, and giving administrative leave to try to get a settlement. None of this has ever been done.”

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has not responded for comment on Thursday’s press conference.

Texas Parks and Wildlife closed the state park after its lease expired. Todd Interests plans to build a resort-style development at the site.

WEB XTRA VIDEO PLAYLIST: KWTX’S COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE EMINENT DOMAIN BATTLE OVER FAIRFIELD LAKE STATE PARK