Cody remains in the hunt to land a new, multi-million dollar state shooting complex.

A committee tasked with finding the best spot for the planned Wyoming State Shooting Complex recently narrowed the list of potential sites from nine to four — focusing on locations near Cody, Gillette, Casper and Cheyenne.

On Monday, the four finalists will get a chance to pitch the State Shooting Complex Oversight Task Force on their respective proposals.

A local working group hopes to convince the panel that the facility should be built on 2,050 acres of state land located roughly 10 minutes south of Cody off Wyo. Highway 120.

At stake is a roughly $10 million state-of-the-art complex that would be large enough to host up to 500 competitors for local, regional and national events. Wyoming lawmakers set aside funding for the project as a form of economic development, and Forward Cody CEO James Klessens, who’s helped lead the local working group, says the project could bring tens of millions of dollars into Park County.

The potential benefits convinced Park County commissioners to commit to contributing up to $750,000 worth of work to build out the road that leads to the site.

Earlier this month, the Powell City Council threw its support behind the plan as well, unanimously voting to send a letter of support for the local proposal. 

“It seems like a good project and I’m more than willing to sign the letter,” Mayor John Wetzel said at the council’s June 3 meeting.

Speaking in his capacity as a private citizen, City Building Official Ben Hubbard had encouraged the council to endorse the proposal, writing that “the overflow of visitors” drawn by the complex could result in more people traveling to Powell and generate more sales tax revenue for the city.

Hubbard added that the “world-class shooting facility” would also boost recreation opportunities for local residents.

Councilman Zane Logan said the city hadn’t been provided with many details about the proposal, but “I think the concept and the idea of [it in] Park County is great.”

The Cody City Council is also backing the proposal, voting on Tuesday night to contribute $2,500 “to assist with expenses and show the legislators the City of Cody is a partner” on the effort.

The State Shooting Complex Oversight Task Force picked the four finalists during a June 14 meeting that was closed to the public. However, its two-day meeting next week will be open to the public and live streamed on YouTube.

Each of the four finalists will be given a couple hours on Monday to make their pitches, plus a half-hour to answer follow-up questions on Tuesday.

Park County’s working group is set to present at 3:15 p.m. Monday and field follow-ups at 11 a.m. Tuesday. 

The task force could quickly winnow the field further, as the panel intends to close out Tuesday’s meeting by deciding which sites to visit. The 12 task force members range from state officials to representatives from the firearms industry, including Gunwerks CEO Aaron Davidson of Cody.

A final recommendation from the panel is expected in August, but it will ultimately be up to the Wyoming Legislature to pick a location during the 2025 General Session.