Republished with permission from The Cody Enterprise.
CODY, Wyo. – “We’re here because of ‘wow.’”
The wow factor that Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, was referring to can be found in the 2,000-acre parcel of land that forms the newly ground-broken Wyoming State Shooting Complex site south of Cody.
“We wanted people to go to a site, get out of their truck or car, and go, ‘Wow.’ When we looked at the proposal for the Park County group, we said, ‘Wow,’” he recalled during a reception at the Yellowstone Regional Airport last Saturday.
Washut was in town as part of the groundbreaking ceremonies for the WSSC, which began at the complex’s site seven miles south of Cody. He joined statewide elected officials – including U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, Gov. Mark Gordon, Wyoming Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, and Rep. Paul Hoeft, R-Powell – along with industry and business leaders from Cody and around the nation, and shooting sports enthusiasts for the celebration that drew over 100 people.
On WSSC grounds, both Gordon and Barrasso gave brief remarks before taking the first two shots.
“You talk about the Cowboy Code, living each day with courage, taking pride in your work, and doing what needs to be done – that’s what we’re seeing here,” said Barrasso, who credited the WSSC’s ideation and momentum to “Wyoming determination and gumption.
“This is really going to be a world-class resort.”
Both men have long been supportive of the project, which was first conceived by Hicks several years ago. Gordon said he viewed the complex as the state’s investment in the Second Amendment.
“I don’t care if you’re on a ranch and you need to do something, or you’re just out hunting, or you’re enjoying shooting sports for the fun of it,” he said to the crowd.
“(The Second Amendment’s) not just a right, it’s something we use on a regular basis.”
Target practice
Following their remarks, the Senator and Governor each took a target shot using an M1 Garand, symbolizing the opening of “a new chapter for (Wyoming’s) shooting sports legacy,” which WSSC officials said in a press release issued following the day’s events.
But the M1 Garand the two men used had an additional, personal touch. During the reception at YRA, Barrasso revealed that the rifle was the same model that his father, a World War II veteran, used during the Battle of the Bulge.
Still, there was only one bull’s-eye on the target.
While both men shot center, Barrasso wryly observed that WSSC officials would have to “draw an arrow to the one dead center, put my name on it and send it to me; then we’ll get another and put a line dead center and write ‘Governor Gordon,’ and send that to him.”
“We’re both going to proudly display them in our offices,” he joked.
“We won’t argue about who shot it,” Gordon said, returning fire when it was his turn to speak. “We’ll just know.”
WSSC CEO Patrick Giles called the day “(one) Wyoming will remember.”
“The shots heard round Wyoming weren’t just symbolic — they were a declaration. Wyoming is open for business when it comes to shooting sports, and we are going to build something here that makes the entire state proud,” he said.
Challenge grant
Saturday also served as the official, public announcement of a $10 million challenge grant from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), an organization dedicated to firearms safety, youth and marksmanship training.
The grant was announced by Fabian Lobera, CMP chief operating officer, during the reception, and will be spread across three years. CMP will match any new private or industry donations to the WSSC dollar-for-dollar up to $10 million.
“World-class does not happen overnight, but CMP’s $10 million challenge grant ensures a faster pace to accomplishing our vision,” WSCC board chair Glenn Ross said in a statement. In an interview, he called the grant “huge,” and added that it would help future fundraising efforts.
“This is more than a gift,” Lobera said on Saturday. “It's a partnership. It's a dollar-for-dollar match. We are joining our resources with this community's passion to ensure this range achieves a prominent status as a destination shooting facility here in the West.”
Beyond financial backing, Lobera said CMP would be involved in both range design and operations to ensure the facility meets the technical specifications for CMP-signature matches and national-level competitions.
“We are laying the foundation for what we hope will become the premier shooting sports destination in the West,” he added, noting that “for over a century,”
CMP has been “dedicated to a singular vision … that is leading the nation in marksmanship excellence with a steadfast focus on youth.”
The company is also developing a collaboration with the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which houses over 7,000 historic firearms in its Cody Firearms Museum, the largest in the world.
On Monday, Center CEO Rebecca West said in a statement that the partnership represents “an extraordinary alignment of mission and place.
“By connecting the unmatched historical resources of the Center of the West with a world-class shooting facility, we are helping to create an experience that is educational, responsible, and uniquely rooted in the American West.”
Giles concurred,, saying, “We are not just building a shooting range, we are building a legacy for Wyoming’s shooting sports community and a destination that the entire country will want to visit.”
Construction continues
With core infrastructure and interior roads now mostly complete, WSCC officials said contractors can begin work on individual venues, including the action shooting space, which recently had its layout confirmed by the board.
To meet the status as world-class, the 2,000-acre complex is an ambitious undertaking,board members and state officials agreed. The completed facility will be the first statewide shooting venue and will make eight different firing ranges available to the public. Ross said the board also expects regional competitions will be held at the facility, making it a destination.
While the designs are subject to change, Giles invited guests to view the architectural renderings of the facilities on Saturday. In addition to the eight ranges, the finished complex will include a retail area, classroom, catering kitchen, and indoor conference hall for both indoor archery and air guns. CMP also confirmed that it will have a presence in the retail section.
The WSSC is slated to open in mid-2027.
