Ground breaking ceremonies at the site of an American-style campus in Mexico will take place in February. Arkansas State University-Jonesboro Chancellor Dr. Tim Hudson says the privately funded, 50-million-dollar Arkansas State University campus will be located in Queretaro, Mexico. The Association for the Advancement of Mexican Education has acquired two thousand acres for a comprehensive land development plan near Queretaro. The A-State campus will be the focal point of the project, with commercial, residential and recreational components also part of the project. Dr. Hudson says the first phase of academic space on the 200 acres allotted for the campus is being designed to accommodate up to 5,000 students, with a goal of placing 1,000 students on the campus in the first year. Arkansas State University will become the first comprehensive U.S. University in Mexico with an American-style campus, and will offer numerous academic opportunities in Queretaro. Queretaro Governor Jose Calzada Rovirosa will meet with Governor Mike Beebe, economic development leaders and Arkansas State Officials in December. In addition, he will deliver a speech on Mexico and the state of Queretaro at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock December 13th. The Arkansas State University Branch in Mexico has a target opening date of fall 2015.