Wake County reaches agreement with RDU airport over part of Lake Crabtree Park
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wake County approved a 20-year lease for 70 acres of Lake Crabtree Park land.
- Trails on 130+ acres will close as RDU plans to pursue entertainment development.
- New lease begins at $214,488 annually, with yearly 3% increases and market reviews.
A portion of Lake Crabtree County Park will remain open to the public.
Wake County leaders approved a new agreement to lease from Raleigh-Durham International Airport nearly 70 acres of the park land closest to the lake, including the boat rental office, the picnic tables, playground, volleyball area and boat ramps.
The lease also keeps connections to greenway networks in Cary and Morrisville, Umstead State Park and the county-leased property 286, which includes biking trails.
However, the more than 130 acres of mountain bike, hiking and walking trails included in the park under the current lease are not included in the new lease. Instead, the airport will look for a developer to create an “entertainment district” that could include restaurants, retail or a boutique hotel, The News & Observer reported previously.
Those trails were closed earlier this month, which gave cyclists a chance to remove bridges and jumps they installed over the years. Hundreds of cyclists gathered for a final ride before the trails closed.
The Wake County Board of Commissioners approved the lease unanimously during its meeting Monday afternoon.
Wake County would have preferred to continue its lease for the full park for $1, but that option was not available. RDU officials say that the Federal Aviation Administration requires the airport receive fair-market value for its land.
“I just want to acknowledge that we’ve grappled with this,” said Wake County Commissioner Chair Susan Evans. “This has not been making us happy. But I do believe that the staff have worked diligently to work out a lease that is appropriate for the next 20 years and hopefully beyond.”
Park visitors, cyclists and environmentalists have pleaded with county and airport officials to fully preserve the land instead of adding more development.
The 20-year lease gives the county the option to extend the lease for two 10-year renewals. First-year rent is $214,488 with a 3% increase per year. The rent could be adjusted every five years based on fair market value if the property is appraised.
Wake County leased the park for $1 from the airport since 1985 with the lease ending this month.
This is Wake County’s oldest and most visited county park. About 330,000 people visited the park last year.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM.
