A developer is making Chatham Hills, a 750-acre property in Westfield, Ind., into a golf course community that will feature an 18-hole Pete Dye course and a nine-hole course. According to the developer, the city has seen its population triple in the past 10 years, and is believed to have been sparked by a major road upgrade and a $45 million project called Grand Park.

Expansive growth in Westfield, Ind., is being fueled in part by the planned Chatham Hills golf course, WISH TV 8 reported.

Chatham Hills, as it is now called, is 750 acres of rolling hills. It is land that includes a house built in 1886 by the best friend of poet James Whitcomb Riley. The mega property is one part of the story of a building boom in Westfield, WISH reported.

“This area is growing so fast I think Westfield has tripled in population in the last 10 years,” said Steve Henke, developer of Chatham Hills.

Featuring homes from $300,000 to more than a $1 million, Henke is so convinced of Westfield’s potential, he’s making Chatham Hills a golf course community, at a time when many golf courses are disappearing. Chatham Hills includes an 18-hole Pete Dye course, along with a nine-hole course, WISH reported.

“Sixty-five percent of the people who live in a golf course community don’t play golf,” Henke said. “They love to have a big backyard. They love to have a backyard that’s maintained by someone else.”

While golf will be the draw for Chatham Hills, it is the U.S. 31 upgrade to non-stop highway and some baseball fields that have sparked the boom. The fields are part of Grand Park, a $45 million project that will hold tournaments for traveling sports teams nationwide, WISH reported.

“Grand Park is Westfield’s industry,” said Andy Cook, Westfield’s mayor. “And what it will do is attract what will become our industry, which will be hospitality and tourism.”

The park opens in March and already has 5,000 games booked for 2014. Under the snow, Pete Dye has already begun laying out Chatham Hills golf course, WISH reported.

The building boom in Westfield is adding to the bottom line in that city by reducing taxes. The mayor said Westfield will reduce the city tax rate in 2015 by 4 cents and will be able to add additional police officers at the same time, WISH reported.