A task force charged with choosing a location for the forthcoming Wyoming state shooting complex heard pitches from potential host communities this week.
They’ve narrowed down the list from eight options to just two.
The Wyoming State Shooting Complex Oversight Task Force determined that gunfire could one day ring out from a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art shooting range to be located in either Park or Campbell counties.
The shooting complex could have a long-distance rifle range, pistol range, archery, and more, along with host hunter and wildlife education classes.
Representatives from Park County and Cody pointed to the town’s history of sharp shooter competitions, once part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, as one reason the complex should be built there.
“When one sets foot on the site, the iconic Wyoming landscape and 360 degree scenic mountain views bring it home, so to speak,” said Glenn Ross, treasurer of the economic development agency Forward Cody.
Meanwhile, representatives from Campbell County and Gillette similarly argued their area’s robust tourism industry means the shooting facility would thrive there.
Campbell County has fallen on difficult economic times as the coal industry continues to decline in Wyoming. But Jim Ford, a Campbell County commissioner, said he feels confident the county is on the upswing.
“In spite of all the things that are going on with the coal industry … our assessed valuations are great, our tax collections are great, the population continues to grow,” said Ford.
After visiting Campbell and Park counties next month, the task force expects to have the finalist selected by August 13.
But it won’t be until the 2025 general session of the Wyoming Legislature that a decision will be made on which community will officially receive the nearly $10 million of state funding for the shooting complex.
This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.