An additional $5 million for the Wyoming State Shooting Complex appears likely.

That amount, from a fund initially set up for the complex back in 2023, was approved Tuesday in an amendment in the Senate and late Wednesday night in the House. 

With that, the complex will have its full ask of state funding, with the remainder of the roughly $20 million project to be covered by sponsorships and donations. 

“I applaud the decisive votes in both bodies of the State Legislature this week in continued support of the Wyoming State Shooting Complex,” Shooting Complex CEO Patrick Giles said in an email. “The release of the remaining $5 million in funding for the Complex enables us to fulfill our mission to build world-class venues which will serve Wyoming shooting sports enthusiasts for generations to come.”

Giles and joint powers board chair Glenn Ross were at the Capitol most of the week to meet with legislators to answer questions and shore up support for the complex ahead of the vote.

While the Senate vote passed 20-11 after nearly a half hour of discussion, after a similar amount of talk late Wednesday night the House approved the amendment, co-sponsored by Reps. Paul Hoeft, R-Powell, and Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, on a voice vote. 

The amendment gives authority to transfer the money from a $10 million account previously set up for the shooting complex, but not used last year after the supplemental budget was scrapped and legislators scrambled to take $10 million from the general fund to fund the complex. Until the supplemental budget was scrapped, the complex was set to receive $13.5 million in funding, as well as a pledge for $250,000 per year from state parks, which owns the land south of Cody the complex is being constructed on.

To finally redress the shortfall, the bill takes the money from that previously set up account of $10 million, delivering $5 million to the shooting complex ($2.5 million each from tourism and Game and Fish) while the other $5 million is
eturned to the general fund. 

Hoeft and Rep. Nina Webber, R-Cody, both spoke in favor of the amendment along with sponsor Art Washut, R-Casper, and others, while there were a couple in opposition. 

The main point of contention was, as in the Senate, as to whether this $5 million ask constituted extra funding, or just the rest of what had previously been promised. 

“Let's be 100% clear, there's not one dime more in this ask this year than there was last year when we voted for this over and over again, not one dime more, not one dime,” Washut said in introducing the bill. “No one knew what this thing was going to cost when we passed the legislation in 2023. The $10 million was to make sure that we showed that the state of Wyoming was earnest, and to encourage communities to participate in the process.”

Ken Pendergraft, R-Sheridan, disagreed with that assessment, saying the $2.5 million each from Game and Fish and travel and tourism were replaced with other funds approved last year, a vote which he supported.

“What this organization is trying to do is ask for those other two and a half millions, the $5 million, so now they're increasing their ask to $15 million,” he said. “I am disinclined to acquiesce.”

Webber noted how many businesses are already expressing support for the complex — an answer to questions such as Powell Sen. Tim French’s the day before of “where is the money” and requesting donors and sponsors to step up before the state gives more funds. 

Hoeft spoke of the positives the complex will bring to the state, especially the assistance to youth shooting sports, and the work of the board. 

“I'm amazed at the work that this group has done,” he said. “All of the volunteers have been very frugal with the dollars. They didn't even get the $10 million we appropriated to them last year until the end of October. Remember, I said that it takes a while to build up a head of steam when you're building a shooting complex. Well, it's starting to come into fruition.”