The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the organization tasked with providing and maintaining safe recreational activities, has announced the discontinuation of its plan to purchase Fairfield Lake State Park. Their reasoning is mainly due to fiscal reasons.

As reported by the Texas Tribune, the dispute over this property has been ongoing for several months. The cost of the 5,000-acre property has significantly increased in recent years. Despite the price hike, TPWD maintained its interest in acquiring the land until recently. Executive Director David Yoskowitz reflected on this decision, saying, "However, TPWD must also responsibly manage the state's fiscal resources in order to maximize the benefit of our parks for all Texans."

KXAN news reported that there has been considerable uncertainty regarding the property's pricing. Shawn Todd, CEO of Todd Interests, initially purchased the property for slightly over $100 million but believed it was worth considerably more. Subsequently, a separate commission was established to determine the true value of the land which was assessed at $418 million.

According to KWTX, TPWD has defined its limits concerning future plans for the property. They have stated they will not exercise their power of eminent domain in future instances related to water resources and other rights. Rodney Franklin, Director of Texas State Parks expressed gratitude towards those who contributed to Fairfield Lake State Park over time saying, "We want to thank the staff and visitors who made Fairfield Lake State Park such a special place for the past half century, as well as those who have supported the effort to save the park."