A tentative agreement by the Texas-based Hunt Building Corp. with the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu to purchase about 300 acres surrounding the proposed four-year campus could prove to be the clincher in the long-stalled development in the 'Ewa Plains.

A purchase agreement is expected to be completed within 30 days.

UH-West O'ahu officials confirmed that a letter of intent has been signed by Hunt that would have the developer purchase 298 acres in fee simple for $100.1 million, thus assuring work can proceed on the first phase of UH campus construction on 200 acres along Farrington Highway sandwiched between 'Ewa and Kapolei.

About $135 million is needed for the first phase. While the Legislature has rejected funding for the proposed campus for a number of years, the budget that passed out of the House last week includes $31 million for UH-West O'ahu.

Rep. Sharon Har, D-40th (Royal Kunia, Makakilo, Kapolei), said news of the Hunt deal helped lock in the state share on the House side. Now, she said, "we're keeping our fingers crossed" that the Senate will also OK the money.

UH-West O'ahu officials hope to break ground on the campus next year and open the campus for business the following fall. Classes have been held on a temporary campus that UH-West O'ahu now shares with Leeward Community College, although it will begin renting classroom space in Kapolei this fall.

"When the new campus opens its doors in 2009, it will fulfill the dream of many 'Ewa and Leeward O'ahu families who have lobbied for a West O'ahu campus for the past three decades," UH-West O'ahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni said in a prepared statement.

Hunt, which is involved in several military projects around O'ahu, including redevelopment at Ford Island, is expected to put up residential and commercial development on its new site.

Hunt and the university are coordinating design and construction of roads, water, sewer and other infrastructure improvements in the area along with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and D.R. Horton Schuler, which also have substantial housing projects going up in the fast-growing area.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.