The University of Hawaii is moving ahead with plans to lease more than 150 acres of vacant land next to the UH-West Oahu campus for mixed-use development to help support the growing Kapolei university.

The university on Wednesday released a formal request for qualifications, to be followed by a request for proposals, seeking a master developer for the project. The announcement comes one year after the Board of Regents approved a conceptual land plan designating 168 acres for commercial development.

“This is a unique opportunity to strategically and purposefully establish a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood that both supports and is supported by the University of Hawaii,” UH President David Lassner said in a statement.

In an introductory letter to the solicitation, Lassner wrote that “the ideal candidate for this project is a developer who has the financial resources, a proven track record of success in land development, is able to work productively in a public/private partnership, and can effectively capitalize on the competitive advantages of the development’s proximity to the growing (UH-West Oahu) campus.”

Since opening in Kapolei in fall 2012, UH-West Oahu has seen significant annual growth in enrollment — as much as a 21 percent increase — while UH’s other campuses have seen flat or declining enrollments. The campus enrolled more than 2,700 students for the fall semester. At full capacity, the university’s strategic plan calls for eventually accommodating 20,000 students.

Leila Wai Shimokawa, director of communications for UH-West Oahu, said the university anticipates the project will create a “vibrant setting” for students, faculty, staff and the broader community. “We look forward to the opportunity to further integrate with our West Oahu community and foresee a lively environment that will contribute to our students’ experience,” she said.

The anticipated continued growth in students and the campus’s close proximity to two future Honolulu rail stations make the project site attractive.

The university controls two parcels of land in Kapolei: 500 acres donated by the former James Campbell Estate makai of the H-1 freeway, where the existing 80-acre campus sits near the starting point of the city’s rail line; and 991 acres of undeveloped agricultural land mauka of the freeway. UH officials have previously said the university wants to hold on to about 300 of the makai acres for the campus to expand, which would make it comparable in size to the flagship Manoa campus.

The request for qualifications is for a 168-acre parcel UH is calling the “University District,” which runs east of the campus, bordering Kualakai Parkway. UH said most of the acreage is zoned for a broad range of uses, with such development possibilities as market-rate student, faculty, senior and affordable housing; retail and commercial activities; recreational and sports facilities; schools; parks; and child care facilities.

“It is envisioned that the University District will offer commercial and recreational services to students and faculty, and the UHWO campus will in turn offer unique opportunities for lifelong learning, artistic performances, lectures, athletic facilities, and other campus life amenities to residents and employees of the University District,” the solicitation says. “It is expected that the unique relationship to the UHWO campus and the mixed-use, (transit-oriented development) qualities of the University District will distinguish it within the larger Kapolei and Ewa market place.”

The university’s “strong preference” is to enter into long-term leases versus selling off the land. UH said a preferred developer will be selected to enter into an exclusive negotiation agreement for a long-term lease for the development of the site. It anticipates the lease will be for a term up to 99 years.

Revenue generated by the lease is expected to help support operations at UH-West Oahu, which took on tens of millions of dollars in debt, in the form of revenue bonds and a loan, to get the campus built.

“The revenue generated by the private development of this land is intended for investment into campus facilities to advance the growth of UH-West Oahu and its academic programs,” UH said.