After a lengthy site selection process, the Wyoming State Shooting Complex, about 10 minutes south of Cody, is getting closer to becoming a reality. The more than 2,000-acre site plans to feature a variety of shooting sports and a massive event center. The project is expected to generate millions of dollars.
On a sunny day in late May, James Klessens navigated huge puddles of water and dips in the grassy sagebrush landscape as he drove towards what will someday be the Wyoming State Shooting Complex. A more direct route to the site is in the works.
As snow capped peaks came into view, Klessens shared the complex’s origin story. He’s on the local joint powers board overseeing the site’s construction.
“One of the criteria that the state had is that they wanted a big site that had a lot of varied topography, meaning lots of ups and downs and valleys and hills and unique features,” he said.
Lawmakers in 2023 decided a state shooting complex would be good for the economy. A state task force picked Park County over eight other Wyoming communities. The project is receiving $10 million in state funds. It almost lost those this year when the Legislature squabbled over the budget, but proponents won out.
From higher elevation parts of the site, Carter Mountain and part of the Beartooth Range are visible. Klessens pointed out where a roughly 16,000-square-foot event center is planned, which could include indoor archery and an air rifle facility.
“You drive over the top of the hill, and when you open up that viewshed, it's just like when the Wizard of Oz opens the door and everything's in technicolor,” he said.
The complex will have archery, along with trap and skeet shooting, and rifle and pistol ranges. Klessens says what’s unique is they’re hoping to have an area where people can shoot for longer than a mile and a half.
“[It’s] not too many places in the country you have a range where you can just go in and shoot that far,” he said. “On certain occasions, we'll be able to stretch that up to two miles.”
Klessens has worked in economic development for close to 40 years, bringing businesses to the Cody area. He said of all the projects he’s worked on, this one’s generated the most excitement.
“ Our design consultant has said that if we build what we've got on paper, this will be the finest comprehensive shooting complex in America,” he said.
Cody has a long history with guns – think Buffalo Bill, the Cody Firearms Museum, the gunfight outside the Irma Hotel. With the new complex, government, businesses and locals are leaning in to attracting more firearms enthusiasts to visit the area.
When it’s up and running, it’s expected to be a big economic boon, upwards of $18.5 million in visitor spending. They’d like to host more than 15 statewide and national shooting competitions every year.
“Competitive events are a big, big piece. Twelve thousand to 15,000 people a year, we hope, will be able to come in and utilize the facility,” he said.
The site isn’t meant to just benefit Cody area restaurants and hotels. Rather than flying with firearms, Klessens said people will likely drive through other Wyoming towns along the way.
“ Certainly you're not gonna come to Cody for a shooting event with your family and then fail to go to Yellowstone or Teton, or the Bighorn Canyon or any of the other amazing venues that we have in this area,” he said.
Klessens says law enforcement and the military have also shown interest.
“Not only from this state, from other states, and military people from around the country that would love to come and do exercises on this landscape, and in particular the landscape on the other side of the hill,” he said.
But not everyone has been as enthusiastic.
“ We're not building something to compete with everything that's here. That's what I hear all the time. We're competing with the local shooting ranges. Not at all,” he said.
The Cody Shooting Complex has pistol and rifle ranges, RV spaces and can host some events. They declined to comment for this story. It boasts a dedicated board and membership base, but Klessens said it and the state complex are filling different needs.
“ If the shooting ranges were asked to host a 600 person event for four days out of the month of July, they're gonna probably say no because they don't want their membership to be blocked out of their area,” he said.
Klessens said their site is unlike anything that’s been built yet – not just in Cody, but the whole country.
“ I'm probably gonna be most excited to sit on that porch and watch a big event happening with the birds singing and the flowers blooming and just say, ‘Isn't it awesome how we in Wyoming can share this amazing venue with the people of the world?’” he said.
The site is on more than 2,000 acres of state land frequented by wildlife. In an internal memo obtained by WyoFile through a public records request, a Wyoming Game and Fish habitat protection supervisor said the site is within sage grouse and mule deer habitat and recommended a different location or certain mitigation efforts. WyoFile reported that Park County indicated it plans to consider wildlife in development proposals, but that specific requirements at the site are not yet clear.
There are still some other details to be worked out before construction can begin, like better driving access, agreements between the local government board operating it and state agencies, and raising funds to hit its $19.5 million price tag.
Klessens anticipates dirt will be moving later this year, with a soft opening in the fall of 2026.
“ And then have a grand opening in the spring of 2027 on a beautiful day like today,” he said.
