Grant arms shooting range with funds for marketing efforts

The Clark County Shooting Range now has a $50,000 grant to take aim at promotional and marketing measures to draw more visitors to the park, 11357 N. Decatur Blvd.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has awarded the range a $50,000 grant as part of its Range Partnership Program.

The grant will be used as part of a multi media marketing and advertising campaign to promote awareness of the foundation's five star-rated range and to entice shooters to participate in all aspects of the facility, including trap, skeet, rifle and pistol shooting, in a safe and controlled environment.

"It's for recreational shooter recruitment and retention," said Steve Carmichael, range program administrator. "With any shooting facility, you never exceed the number of people you need."

The first planned expense will be a mailing to 15,000 homes in the 89130 and 89131 ZIP codes and 480 radio ads, Carmichael said. The range plans to invite concierges from 18 local hotels and casinos to visit in hopes of drawing tourist traffic to the 2,900-acre attraction, he said.

"We have so many people write to us that they don't know where we are," he said. "A lot of concierges get asked, 'What is there to do during the day?' and we want (tourists) here."

About 69,495 people have visited the range since February 2010 during public shooting times and hosted community holiday events, spokeswoman Kristen Siquian said.

The range opened in late 2009 and cost about $61 million in federal funds to construct. In June 2011, officials changed the name from the Clark County Shooting Park to the Clark County Shooting Range to reflect amenities.

The range hopes to plan multi-day trap and skeet shotgun events, corporate packages and sporting clay shoots, and courses are in the works, said Carmichael.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation is a leader in the firearms industry trade association and works to promote, protect and preserve the shooting sports. The range applied for the grant through the foundation in April and received the funds in late June.

"Our plan is very precise," Carmichael said.

The mailer is planned for this month alongside the radio spots, which are set to run through September. More community events, including a pumpkin and faux turkey shoot, are among events planned for fall. "The timing for all this is going to be excellent," Carmichael said.

The range's hours for public shooting are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Special events may be scheduled for any day of the week. The range has all necessary equipment, including eye and ear protection, available for purchase or rent. For more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov or call 455-2000.

Contact Centennial and Paradise View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.