Clemson University will begin building classrooms and labs in Greenville next spring for an automotive research park designed to attract higher-paying jobs to South Carolina.

The university will spend up to $40 million for classrooms that will open in 2005 and for 250 acres along I-85 to be bought by 2008.

But state and local officials are hoping for much more.

State officials are in talks with companies considering the park for research facilities, and Gov. Mark Sanford said an announcement of a new tenant could come in November.

Sanford flew to Greenville on Wednesday to explain the deal to local officials, who criticized him for stalling a deal started while Jim Hodges was governor.

He called the original deal “too sweet for the developer and too light for the taxpayer.”

After nine months of discussions, the new deal:

• ; Pushes Miami developer Clifford Rosen out of the role of developer

• ; Leaves Rosen with 146 acres he bought in January for $2.9 million

• ; Requires Rosen to build within Clemson’s architectural limits

• ; Makes Clemson the majority land owner

• ; Lets Clemson buy up to 250 acres for $21 million for its graduate program in automotive engineering.

“It’s a separation,” Sanford said. “He’s got his 150 acres, and we’ve got our 250 acres.”

Hodges brought Rosen to the attention of Clemson officials. After months of secret negotiations, Clemson announced plans in September 2002 for a $100 million automotive park. It was to include $50 million in state funding and a $50 million wind tunnel for testing cars on a rolling track.

Rosen was to build the wind tunnel and bring tenants to the site. Clemson would have paid him a 7.5 percent development fee — $19 million in fees over 20 years, according to Clemson estimates.

Sanford said the proposed fees were “egregious,” since most such fees are 3 percent. Now there are none.

Rosen will not be responsible for building a wind tunnel or any other part of the project. Clemson officials haven’t abandoned the wind tunnel, but they also haven’t yet found a way to pay for it.

Efforts to reach Rosen were unsuccessful.

Greenville annexed the site owned by the estate of textile machinery magnate John Hollingsworth last year, and the city will oversee the construction of $12 million in roads there.

Clemson now will have exposure along 1,500 feet of I-85, and Greenville will have its long-sought university research site, Greenville Mayor Knox White said.

“This research park will be a magnet for exactly the kind of jobs we need in the 21st century,” White said.

Reach DuPlessis at (803) 771-8305 of jduplessis@thestate.com