The 250-acre Cannon Mills Plant 1 site was purchased by David H. Murdock at auction in December 2004. He also owns another 100 acres in downtown Kannapolis and another 1,000 acres throughout Cabarrus and Rowan counties.

Murdock announced Monday the creation of the North Carolina Research Campus, a massive scientific and economic revitalization project that encompasses the former plant and the entire downtown area of Kannapolis. The project will take up to seven years to complete, with the first construction project beginning within 90 days. The project will be a joint venture between Murdock and the University of North Carolina System.

Components of the project include:

* A privately-operated high school for girls from across the United States who have reached their junior or senior year and who have excelled in the fields of math and science.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte not only will be providing leadership in the preliminary design and academic planning for the high school but will also develop plans that could lead to its participation in the nutritional research.

* A 330,000-square-feet Core Laboratory facility, including a state-of-the-art contract manufacturing biogenic facility and the Dole Research Institute.

The building will also house temporary facilities for the university research institutes until permanent structures are completed. This will also house more than 75,000 square feet of multi-tenant space.

The Core Laboratory will comprise about 60,000 square feet of laboratory and office suites and a DNA sequencing facility, micro-array facilities, mass spectrometry facilities and all other analytical tools. The facility will be available for use by all companies located on the campus.

* The Contract Manufacturing biogenic fermentation facility will encompass roughly 30,000 square feet of a sterile environment and will provide a vehicle in which small- to medium-sized technology companies can produce single runs of biological products in a good manufacturing practice facility.

* The Dole Research Institute will contain 10,000 square feet and will focus on scientific research relating to nutrition, fruits and vegetables. This institute will work collaboratively with UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State on research findings related to nutrition and the development of new varieties of fruits and vegetables.

* The N.C. State Institute for Advanced Fruit and Vegetable Science will develop enabling technologies for research, education, extension and outreach to bolster the economic and horticultural potential for fruit and vegetable production across the U.S.

The purpose of this center is to improve the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables, enhance human health, increase agricultural production and support scientific ideas and technologies. The facilities will include approximately 50,000 square feet of laboratory and research space and 100,000 square feet of experimental and research-oriented greenhouse facilities.

* UNC-Chapel Hill will establish the UNC Institute for Excellence in Nutrition, which will focus on research examining the relationship between nutrition and the brain, obesity and cancer.

The work of the center will include basic science on the causes of cancer and related genetic, biological and behavioral mechanisms.

* Discussions are underway with the North Carolina Community College System for a 40,000-square-foot structure on the campus that will focus on the education and training for biotechnology jobs that will be created as a result of the initiatives.

* A 1,000-seat auditorium and conference facility will be constructed, along with a 125-room conference center and hotel.

* A new retail area to be developed on the site will include a multiplex movie theater, shops, restaurants and other commercial properties.

* Cabarrus Family Medicine, founded by Dr. Allen Dobson, will occupy a 50,000-square-foot facility on the campus and partner with UNC-Chapel Hill in several areas of research, including wellness, obesity and illness prevention.

The facility will provide primary care for employees of companies on the Research Campus and collaborate with those firms' research projects.

* NorthEast Medical Center will provide specialty care and other services on the campus. Space planning for the facility will begin shortly, and the hospital expects to use 25,000 to 50,000 square feet, depending on the clinical offerings at the site.

* Burlington-based Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) has announced intentions to place a facility on the campus. The size of this facility and staff is currently unknown.

* Negotiations with dozens of biotechnology tenants are already underway, with several tenants in final lease discussions for the new facilities.