NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2006

Contact: Angie Joe
713.743.8153 (office)
713.617.7138 (pager)
ajoe@uh.edu

CITY OF SUGAR LAND, UH SYSTEM AT SUGAR LAND
ANNOUNCE $3.5M LONG-TERM LEASE AGREEMENT

HOUSTON, Jan. 23, 2005 – The Sugar Land 4b Corporation and City Council have announced a $3.5 million, long-term lease agreement with the University of Houston System at Sugar Land (UHSSL).

Sugar Land will lease 52 acres from the UH System. A feasibility study will be conducted jointly between the university system and the City on a potential research park on the site, which is adjacent to the campus. Other possible uses include parks, recreation and community centers; botanical gardens; entertainment facilities; jogging and biking trails; playgrounds; athletic fields; and related parking, streets, utilities, drainage and detention areas to serve constructed facilities.

“I’m extremely proud of the collaborative vision,” said Sugar Land Mayor David G. Wallace. “Our latest commitment in this lease of $3.5 million builds on our initial commitment of $3.5 million (toward the original UHSSL building) and demonstrates our continued support of this very important educational institution. With this lease we have found a way to capitalize on mutual objectives, the end result of which is a further development of the UHSSL campus faster than otherwise would be possible. At the same time, this partnership provides greater opportunity for our residents to access higher education and recreational facilities. ”

The commitment has been earmarked for the “Building Futures Together Campaign,” which will support the construction of a new, $30 million academic building at the UHSSL site. The facility will be shared by the UH System and Wharton County Junior College (WCJC).

Building Futures Together was launched in May 2005 with a $4 million gift from the George Foundation. Subsequently, the Fred and Mabel R. Parks Foundation committed $250,000, and developer Newland Communities and UH Alumnus Brij Agrawal committed $100,000 each. To date, more than $650,000 has been raised. Other sources of public and private funding are being sought.

“Today, we celebrate a historic event for Sugar Land and for the University of Houston System,” Leroy Hermes
chairman, UH System Board of Regents said. “It is indeed a good day when a local government and a higher education institution join forces in an innovative and unique way for the benefit of the community.”

A total of 66 new classrooms of various sizes are projected for the new building, as well as a performance hall/auditorium, computer labs, science laboratories and nursing skills laboratories. The new classrooms will provide seating for approximately 2,500 students. The building will also provide faculty offices, a bookstore, weight rooms, a student lounge, and a food court. The current facility, the Albert and Mamie George Building, will serve as an instructional site and as the administrative headquarters for UHSSL and WCJC.

About the University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch and University of Houston System at Sugar Land
The UH System at Cinco Ranch and UH System at Sugar Land are collaborative efforts of the four UH System
universities: University of Houston, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Downtown and UH-Victoria. Students apply to the university that offers the degree they are seeking and then take courses at either UH System at Cinco Ranch or UH System at Sugar Land. For more information, visit www.cincoranch.uh.edu and www.sugarland.uh.edu.

About the University of Houston System
The University of Houston System is the state’s only metropolitan higher education system, encompassing four universities and two multi-institution teaching centers. The universities are the University of Houston, a nationally recognized doctoral degree-granting, comprehensive research university; the University of Houston-Downtown, a four-year undergraduate university beginning limited expansion into graduate programs; and the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of Houston-Victoria, both upper division and master’s-level institutions. The centers are the UH System at Sugar Land in Fort Bend and the UH System at Cinco Ranch. In addition, the UH System includes KUHF-FM, Houston’s National Public Radio and classical radio station, and KUHT-TV, the nation’s first educational television station.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.