The Park County commissioners are showing their commitment to bringing the state shooting complex to the county.

On May 21, commissioners voted 3-1 to provide up to $750,000 in in-kind work to build out a gravel road that leads to the state land where the proposed shooting complex would be built if the site south of Cody is chosen. The county would then maintain the road through BLM land, although there has been no decision yet on the level of maintenance.

County Engineer Brian Edwards said cost for the material would be $350,000 at present conditions if they have to get it from offsite, although that cost would plummet if materials can be used onsite. Commissioner Lee Livingston said in talks with regional BLM leadership that is a distinct possibility.

Commissioner Lloyd Thiel said the decision to vote in favor was made as a way to support what would be a large economic benefit to the county as it could draw in hundreds of people for big shooting events.

“We're not doing this just to help a specific group, this is for everybody, millions can be brought in,” he said.

“There's two things involved there,” Chair Dossie Overfield said. “There's the economic development that can help all of us in Park County as far as the uses and more people coming for multiple reasons. The other thing is it is access to public lands. We’ve heard for years, or I’ve heard for years, that we need to be sure that the county keeps that available and this is just one more area for that to happen.”

Commissioner Scott Steward was the lone no vote, but he said he does support the project despite it reducing some off road access to the state land. His issue, he said, was in promising to build and maintain a road in the future before knowing if they’ll have the money to do so.

The local state shooting complex task force members are actively working on a business plan to present at the next state committee meeting, after which state officials will go to each site to examine them.

After the state committee chooses a location, the winner will have $10 million in state funds to help design and build the facility.

The proposed complex will include a welcome center in one corner for people to enter the facility, with small ranges like pistol bays, trap and skeet shooting in the vicinity. There will also be areas for long range shooting in other areas of the more than 2,000 acre site.

The State Task Force is expected to make a recommendation to the Legislature in November as to which of the nine sites to select, and a final decision is expected in March of 2025.

The shooting complex is projected to come to fruition in early 2026, assuming approval by the Wyoming Legislature in the 2025 legislative session. The state will select the preferred site and invest $10 million in state funding to complete the facility.

Park County is one of nine counties in the running for the complex.