Council of state to consider $8.4M trail land deal

The proposed purchase covers nearly 3,600 acres in McDowell and Rutherford counties

North Carolina’s Council of State is expected to consider an $8.4 million land purchase that could bring a trail connection between South Mountains State Park and Chimney Rock State Park closer to reality.

The proposal is for the acquisition of approximately 3,592 acres off Conner Road for the Wilderness Gateway State Trail. The listed price is $8,399,242, or about $2,338 per acre. The land spans McDowell County’s Crooked Creek and Montford Cove townships and Rutherford County’s Morgan Township.

The agenda lists 130 of Chatham LLC and 131 of Chatham LLC as the sellers. The state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Division of Parks and Recreation would receive the property.

The companies are private landholding and conservation organizations owned by Tim Sweeney, the billionaire founder and CEO of Epic Games.

He reportedly owns more than 50,000 acres in North Carolina.

The documents reviewed by WCAB News describe the transaction as a “bargain sale.” They said acquiring the land would protect natural resources and habitats and is “critical to the proposed path of connecting South Mountains State Park to Chimney Rock State Park.”

The documents did not provide an appraised value, a county-by-county acreage breakdown or a timeline for opening a trail on the property.

State law requires the governor and council to approve land acquisitions made on behalf of state agencies. The Council of State consists of North Carolina’s 10 elected statewide executive officials, currently a bipartisan group with an even number of Democrats and Republicans. They include: Gov. Josh Stein (D), Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt (D), Secretary of State Elaine Marshall (D), State Auditor Dave Boliek (R), State Treasurer Brad Briner (R), Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green (D), Attorney General Jeff Jackson (D), Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler (R), Labor Commissioner Luke Farley (R), and Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey (R). The council’s next scheduled meeting is Oct. 6.

Together with the North Carolina Cabinet and several independent agencies, the Council of State offices constitute the executive branch of North Carolina's state government.

The agenda says, “Notifications of acquisitions were made to the County and/or Municipality in accordance with G.S. §146-22.” It does not identify when they received it or whether both counties were notified. It also says the item was reported to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations. Neither McDowell nor Rutherford County has issued a public statement about the proposal as of Sept. 28.

Five taxpayer-funded sources would pay for the proposed purchase: $3,449,242 from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund; $2 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund; $1 million each from the N.C. State Parks Partnership Foundation and Complete the Trails Program; and $950,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Acres for America program. The agenda says the land would be conveyed subject to the terms of the associated grants.

The purchase would be a substantial addition to a trail that remains under development. Wilderness Gateway is planned as a 170-mile system across Catawba, Burke, McDowell and Rutherford counties. In a separate transaction in June 2025, trail partner Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina purchased 22 acres in southern McDowell County for conservation and a planned trail loop. That parcel is distinct from the land now before the council. This is segment five of the 2022-2027 Wilderness Gateway State Trail Plan.

A council vote in favor would advance the proposed land purchase. It would not, by itself, complete the trail or open the nearly 3,600 acres to the public.

You may read the agenda here.

---

If you have further information about this story or a news tip, email Annie Dance, Annie@WCABNews.com