Wafra Inc., a New York-based alternative investment firm, and Liberty Development Partners (Liberty) announced that funds advised by Wafra have invested in both Liberty Development Partners, a rail-served infrastructure operator and developer, and its principal assets, Gulf Inland Logistics Park (Gulf Inland) and CMC Railroad (CMC).
The strategic partnership provides additional capital and institutional resources to accelerate the continued development of Gulf Inland while supporting Liberty's growth as a broader platform to pursue additional rail-served infrastructure and industrial opportunities.
Located northeast of Houston in Dayton, Texas, Gulf Inland is an approximately 3,900-acre rail-served industrial development. It offers connectivity to the Union Pacific and BNSF Railway freight networks through CMC Railroad, which provides rail switching and storage capacity for more than 1,000 railcars, along with direct access to U.S. Highway 90 and State Highway 99/The Grand Parkway.
Liberty expansion history
Since acquiring Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad in 2022, Liberty Development Partners has significantly expanded the park, invested in its road, rail, and utility infrastructure, and attracted a growing base of industrial and manufacturing companies. During this period, Gulf Inland has grown from approximately 1,150 acres to approximately 3,900 acres, strengthening its position as a strategic location for industrial users seeking access to the Gulf Coast market. The investment from Wafra comes amid strong demand in the Houston region from manufacturing, distribution, energy, and logistics users.
"We are excited to partner with the Liberty Development Partners team and to support the continued growth of Gulf Inland," said Anthony Peek, Managing Director at Wafra. "Gulf Inland combines a strategic location in one of the country's most important industrial markets with substantial rail infrastructure and a leading management team. Our investment will accelerate the development of Gulf Inland and support Liberty's growth more broadly."
"This partnership represents the next stage in the evolution of Gulf Inland and Liberty Development Partners," said Marcus Goering, CEO of Liberty Development Partners. "We believe there is a significant opportunity to expand our rail-served industrial strategy, with Gulf Inland as the foundation. Wafra brings the capital, institutional capabilities, and long-term investment perspective that will allow us to accelerate infrastructure investment, expand the park, and pursue additional opportunities throughout the Gulf Coast and beyond."
Paul Connor, Principal of Liberty Development Partners, added, "Rail-served industrial property is difficult to replicate. Industrial users increasingly require large sites with reliable transportation infrastructure, access to labor, and proximity to major population, manufacturing, and distribution centers. Gulf Inland brings those attributes together in one location, and we believe Houston and the Gulf Coast provide an exceptional foundation from which to grow our platform."
Rail growth for Gulf Inland and CMC
As part of its continued investment in rail infrastructure, Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad are currently expanding railcar storage capacity by approximately 1,000 cars, with the additional capacity expected to be operational by year-end. The expansion is intended to support growing demand for railcar storage and related rail services throughout the Houston and Gulf Coast markets.
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The existing Liberty Development Partners management team will continue to lead the development and operation of Gulf Inland and CMC Railroad, and will work alongside Wafra to evaluate and pursue additional investment and expansion opportunities.
Why this matters to contractors along the Gulf Coast
Large rail-served industrial sites are increasingly difficult to assemble near Houston. Gulf Inland has expanded from about 1,150 acres to 3,900 acres since 2022, and CMC is currently adding storage for approximately 1,000 additional railcars by year-end.
That creates opportunities for civil contractors, utilities, manufacturers, warehouses, chemical logistics and other industrial users seeking Gulf Coast access.
