A new upscale golf course is set to attract golfers to the East Lansing area.
The East Lansing City Council approved an overall site plan of Eagle Eye Crossings, a 232-acre 18-hole golf course, which will soon be an attraction in the Northern Tier, between State and Stoll roads, west of Chandler Road. Owners plan to open the course by early July.
The plan includes a large clubhouse with a restaurant, snack shop, banquet hall, fitness center and pro shop. Next to the clubhouse is room for a future hotel, which is expected to include 64 rooms.
The golf course will join plenty of others, including MSU's Forest Akers golf courses, on Mount Hope Road and Harrison Avenue, Four Winds Golf Course, 5800 Park Lake Road, Timber Ridge Golf Club, 16339 Park Lake Road and Hawk Hollow Golf Course & Banquet Facility, across the street from the new course at 15106 S. Chandler Road.
The new location will help to boost the city's economy by bringing golfers into the community and attracting new residents into single-family housing, East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows said.
"It's pretty clear the city will see the economic benefits of these golf trips coming to the area," he said.
Developers were not available to comment.
The site can be marketed as a resort, even though it does not technically fall in that category, said Bob Owen, the city's planning and zoning administrator.
The plan also includes three housing clusters, including 60 units of condominiums and two clusters of single family homes.
"It's an extraordinary feature for the city," Owen said. Access to the course would be off of Chandler Road and a 633-spot parking lot.
The facility may be "pricey" but will be open to the public, he said. The different types of housing options add choices for residents, he said.
The golf course is close to completion and construction for the walls of buildings have begun, Owen said. "It's going to be quite a push to open by summer," he said.
The land has been developed as a golf course for the past four years and was annexed from Dewitt Township in 1998. It has already been rezoned for the project.
Councilmember Beverly Baten said she worries about the levels of traffic on Stoll Road since it is only a gravel road and doesn't see many cars.
"I am concerned about the level of traffic on the road with the 633 parking spots," she said.
The entire site is in East Lansing, but lies in Clinton County. The road plans would have to be developed by the county, Owen said.
Ken Horvath, general manager of the Forest Akers courses, said the new course could bring in more people to the Forest Akers course because it aims to pull in a different target audience.
"From what I've heard it's going to be a very upscale golf course that is very different from anything in the area," he said.
He said the course aims to attract students, staff and alumni.
"It could attract more golfers into the area who stay two or three more days and visit our golf course also," he said.
