Ground broken for shotgun shooting range in Las Vegas

Shooters can't wait for the fun.

Clark County can't wait for the money.

A 75-acre sporting clay range is scheduled to open at the Clark County Shooting Complex this fall.

It will have at least one customer on opening day.

Las Vegas resident Neal Johnson has been shooting clay targets competitively for 52 years and said he's "extremely excited" about the prospect of shooting tournaments close to home.

"I'll probably be one of the first participants," said Johnson, a charter member of the Desert Hills Shooting Club in Boulder City. "Moving targets makes it much more exciting. ... There's nothing like shooting a target and watching it break into a thousand pieces."

But once the range is up and running, county officials say the 2,900-acre complex finally will become profitable. Since its opening in early 2010, the complex, formerly known as a range, and before that, a park, has been unable to turn a profit.

"The addition of the sporting clays at the complex is what's going to put us over the hump," said Steve Carmichael, complex manager. "This is what's going to make us operate flush and profitable. This is an exciting time for us."

Sporting clays at the complex will involve 30 different stations that offer unpredictable targets launched into the air at different angles, speeds and distances - designed to simulate live birds. Each station will feature three positions for a total of 90 shooting positions. About 300 people could be on the course at a time.

A 50-target round will cost $16 and a 100-target round $32. Cart rentals will be $25 for a three-hour period or $50 for the day.

With the addition of the sporting clays, Carmichael estimates the complex could start generating average annual revenues of about $500,000.

The range is expected to open in late October or early November, he said.

Construction was supposed to start in February, but plans changed after funds were spent on flood mitigation.

State and county officials broke ground on the sporting clay range Tuesday.

Funding for the $3 million project comes from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, a federal grant program that provides funds for park and trail construction, purchases of land for open space, and water delivery system improvements.

The complex generates revenue from day fees, room and range rental, clay targets and two retail shops. The complex averages about 80,000 shooting guests annually. There are seven full-time staffers and 60 part-time workers.

The project has caused backlash from some private-range owners who feel the government is competing against private enterprise.

County Commissioner Tom Collins, who represents the area, said the range will "allow more tourism and more money spent in our community" by luring national shooting competitions and attracting convention visitors.

"We've got the Smith Center for culture, and we have the shooting complex for sportsmen and gun enthusiasts," Collins said.

He hopes a sponsor builds a steakhouse on site to attract customers to stick around after a day of shooting to enjoy the picturesque backdrop that includes Mount Charleston and a panoramic view of the Strip. The complex is about five miles north of the Las Vegas Beltway on North Decatur Boulevard.

Some complex funding could come from mining the site's high-quality gravel, which can be used to build roads. County officials are studying the demand for the gravel. They say gravel sales could generate money for complex upkeep and future range projects.

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.