Holland & Knight Advises the Moody Foundation on Donation of Ownership Interest of Silver Lake Ranch to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
HOUSTON (June 2, 2026) – Holland & Knight represented The Moody Foundation in the donation of its undivided 87.5 percent ownership interest in the historic Silver Lake Ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, an agency of the State of Texas. The property will become Silver Lake State Park, the second-largest state park in Texas. The closing of the transaction occurred on May 22.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased the remainder of the property interest for $11.85 million with funds from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and Sporting Goods Sales Tax. The property, located about 150 miles west of San Antonio between Rocksprings and Uvalde, covers approximately 54,000 acres in Edwards and Kinney counties and features steep canyons, rolling hills and miles of river frontage along the West Nueces River. Additionally, it is home to the 30-acre, spring-fed Silver Lake, the property's namesake. It was historically used for sheep and cattle ranching and was previously owned by the Moody Foundation and Libbie Shearn Moody Trust.
The new state park will be developed with the available interest in the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, a $1 billion endowment fund approved by voters in 2023 aimed at creating a dedicated funding stream for acquiring and developing state parks. The interest from the fund can only be accessed through an approval process with the Legislative Budget Board.
Headquartered in Galveston, Texas, the Moody Foundation has played a significant philanthropic role across Texas for more than 80 years, supporting initiatives in education, community development, health and the arts. The family's legacy of stewardship and giving has helped shape communities statewide and reflects a long-standing commitment to preserving Texas' natural and cultural resources.
Holland & Knight Partners David Thaxton (Real Estate) and Robert Dougherty (Oil & Gas) led the Firm's representation of the Moody Foundation. They were assisted by Associate Aaron Powell (Oil & Gas), Associate Gabriella Leccese (Real Estate) and Of Counsel Gregg Davis (Real Estate). The multi-step transaction involved complex use covenants, mineral interest reservations and royalties, and easement issues, and represents the culmination of months of work and collaboration by the parties.
More information on the donation can be found here.