July 29, 2024 |
Photo – A rifle club in Colorado – Bigfoot99 file photo
Despite receiving support from the Board of Carbon County Commissioners, Natrona County was not chosen as the site of the future state shooting complex. The facility will be built in Cody.
In March of 2023, the Wyoming state legislature passed Senate File SF0169. The bill created a 12-member task force to select a location for a state shooting complex.
District 11 Senator Larry Hicks sponsored the bill. Senator Hicks told Bigfoot99 as more and more states suppress their residents’ ability to legally own firearms, the shooting complex will demonstrate Wyoming’s dedication to the constitution of the United States.
Senator Hicks said Colorado’s strict gun laws have forced firearms enthusiasts out of the state. Constructing a large shooting complex in Wyoming will entice those same sportsmen to visit and spend money in the Cowboy State.
After the passage of Senate File SF0169, the search was on to find the perfect location for the state shooting complex.
This past January, members of the Rawlins Shooting Range Advisory Board told the city council that they would like the shooting complex to be built in the city, but only if the state pays to maintain and staff the large facility.
Two months later, in March of this year, the Board of Carbon County Commissioners signed a letter of support for Natrona County’s bid to host the state shooting complex. The board acknowledged that Rawlins lacked the infrastructure and amenities to support the large shooting range.
Nine Wyoming communities requested to host the shooting range. In the end, the state shooting range committee selected Cody as the future home of the facility. Senator Hicks said the terrain in the northwestern corner of the state is better for hunting practice.
Bigfoot99 asked Senator Hicks why Natrona County wasn’t chosen for the shooting range. The senator said the proposed shooting complex will be different than a traditional range.
Senator Hicks said despite the fact that Natrona County was the most prepared to financially support the facility, the flat terrain does not match what he has in mind.
Senator Hicks said he predicts the state shooting complex to cost approximately $1 million a year to operate. After two years, the facility should begin turning a small profit. The senator said money generated by the shooting complex will be used to maintain and expand the facility.
When it is built, Senator Hicks said the state shooting complex will be more than a simple shooting range. The senator said the facility will also feature classrooms, event spaces, and shops.
Users of the state shooting complex will be able to rent ATVs and side-by-sides to navigate the sprawling facility.
Senator Hicks said the state shooting complex will most likely be controlled by a locally staffed joint powers board, with the state having the final say on any decisions.
The state is contributing $10 million toward the construction of the shooting complex, with $5 million from the state’s general fund, $2.5 million from Wyoming Game and Fish, and $2.5 million from the Wyoming Office of Tourism. Senator Hicks said Cody has committed roughly $6.5 million of its own money to the project.
The state will also pay 25% of the yearly cost to run and maintain the facility. The senator said the shooting complex joint powers board will pay the remaining 75%. Any money generated by the facility over its operational costs will be used to maintain and expand the complex.
Senator Hicks said the state shooting complex is expected to employ two to four full-time employees year-round, with 12 to 20 seasonal workers during the summer. The senator said shooting event sponsors are able to bring in their own workers and volunteers as well.
Senator Hicks said he expects construction of the state shooting complex in Cody to begin by June of next year.
