Construction begins on Wyoming’s 2,000-acre, ‘world-class’ shooting range

The first shots were fired at the new Wyoming State Shooting Complex on Saturday as Gov. Mark Gordon and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso each fired a round from a World War II-era M1 Garand at the 2,000-acre parcel of state land south of Cody where Wyoming’s world-class facility is being built.

Firing an M1 Garand was more than a symbolic gesture. It was deliberately chosen to reflect a $10 million challenge grant for the project announced by the Civilian Marksmanship Program at the ceremony.

Many Wyoming legislators tout the complex as an up-and-coming, world-class facility when it opens in 2027. “We wanted a wow factor,” said Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper. “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.’ We are here today because of wow.”

More than 100 people attended the Saturday afternoon groundbreaking, held on a ridge of sagebrush where the complex’s action bay and 12,000-square-foot events center will be constructed.

Barrasso said the project happened due to “Wyoming determination and gumption, and people are going to come here from all around the world to celebrate, to compete, to participate. This is really going to be a world-class resort.” He noted that the 1.5-mile range for long-range shooting will attract enthusiasts who don’t want to trust their firearms to airlines — they’ll drive, stopping all around Wyoming.

Gordon echoed those sentiments, saying the complex will be a boost for the entire state. “It is wonderful to have this day to see what this is for, not only bringing more business here, but also to really introduce people to what Wyoming has that’s really special,” he said. He also touted the project as Wyoming’s ultimate investment in the Second Amendment.

“This is more than a gift,” Lobera said. “It’s a partnership. We are joining our resources with this community’s passion to ensure that this range achieves a prominent status as a destination shooting facility here in the West.” The CMP also plans to open an on-site store where people can buy historic American firearms like the M1 Garand and M1911 pistol. “We’re the sole outlet for GI-issued historic M1 Garands,” Lobera said. “They’re only offered in two other spots in the country, and now they’ll be offered here.”

Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, said the idea originated in a Cheyenne café during a discussion about growing interest in shooting sports and other states “abandoning the Second Amendment.” He said the complex was “the most rewarding” thing he’s ever worked on. “Shooting sports are the third largest-growing outdoor recreation in the state of Wyoming, one of the largest in the nation,” he said. “I got on the phone with the governor and said, ‘Why don’t we do this in Wyoming? The best. The best in the nation.’ And he said, ‘Go for it.'”

According to Hicks, one consultant brought onto the project said that when finished, the complex will be one of a handful of public shooting ranges in the U.S. where people can shoot over a mile. “The future is robust,” he said. “The opportunities are unlimited. We’re only bounded by our own imagination.”