On Tuesday, Frisco City Council and the Frisco Community Development Corp. are expected to approve a master development agreement with the University of North Texas. The UNT System board of regents is also expected to approve a real estate agreement with the city Tuesday.

If approved, the university would build a permanent branch campus in the city.

The campus would be built at the southwest corner of Preston Road and Panther Creek Parkway. In January, the city approved purchasing 390 acres at that corner, the majority of which would be for park uses. The remainder of the land would be used by UNT, Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said.

Cheney said the campus would be a research university offering bachelor's and master's degrees, and it would be intended to initially cater to 5,000 students.

One of City Council's top 10 priorities this year was to expand Frisco's higher education opportunities.

"We want to bring research here to our city," Cheney said. "This partnership with [UNT] is a perfect match with what they're trying to do with their entrepreneurial programs. They already partner with some of the largest companies in the world."

Cheney said companies looking to relocate to Frisco often ask what the higher education options are in the city. He said a UNT branch campus would help "answer those questions" and be a business attraction tool.

"It's really exciting for Frisco's future," Cheney said. "I consider this to be one of the most impactful things to happen in Frisco in a very long time."