RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK — The foundation that oversees much of RTP confirmed Friday that it has sold a large parcel of land, which had been considered a key cornerstone of property that Apple would occupy if the high-tech giant decided to expand its presence in the Triangle.

Scott Levitan, chief executive officer of the Research Triangle Foundation, said public records filed with Wake County show that the sale was concluded this week.

The land was sold to a company identified as Acute Investments LLC.

Listed in the deal is Bruce Thompson, a registered lobbyist for Apple.

Thompson is considered as a primary negotiator on behalf of Apple when the firm is engaging in negotiations for incentives as part of a recruitment package.



The transaction was first reported by the Triangle Business Journal.

Levitan declined on Friday to discuss many aspects of the deal.

“I really can’t discuss it” Levitan said when asked for details by WRAL Tech Wire.

In previous conversations with WRAL Tech Wire, he has declined comment about any possible project involving Apple or Amazon, citing the firm’s non-disclosure requirements.

David Rhoades, spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, declined comment about the land sell or speculation that Apple is still eyeing RTP.

“We do not discuss active economic development projects, until a company makes a public announcement regarding where that project will locate,” he said.

The land that has been purchased reportedly is a location that Apple has considered in the past for a new campus in RTP.

Apple earlier this month announced a series of expansions across the US, including opening a new campus in Austin, Texas.

North Carolina, however, was not included among the list of sites being eyed for expansion.

Apple currently operates a large data center in western North Carolina.

Gov. Roy Cooper has said he has not totally given up hope that North Carolina might still be home to an expanded Apple presence in the state.

In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Cooper declined to comment on why the state didn’t land thousands of new jobs that Apple announced last week would go to Austin, Texas.

Cooper says he’s staying silent because he called Apple an “open recruiting situation” that could potentially yield more employment.

WRAL reporter Travis Fain contributed to this report.