By

Hot Springs County submitted a formal request for proposal to be considered for the location of the State Shooting Complex.

Hot Springs County Commissioner Paul Galovich said he first got wind about the complex from Hot Springs County Representative John Winter. He told the commissioners about the State’s plan to build a $10 million shooting sports complex, capable of hosting international tournaments. The State conducted a pre-request for proposal process (RFP) where interested counties could submit proposals for their candidacy.

Galovich said the commissioners decided that they were interested and attended a task force meeting in Riverton several months ago. They presented some information at that time, and received information from the task force about what direction they wanted for the complex.

He continued, “They said we are going to let all the counties submit information to us, and then we are going to take all that information and hold a final RFP. Only counties that participate in the pre-RFP are eligible for the final RFP.”

Representatives from Hot Springs County were given a checklist of what the State was looking for in such a facility; the outdoor ranges need to be in a north-south orientation, and the long range must facilitate targets at up to 2,000 yards. Preferably, the location should be in a low-wind area, with access to potable water and high speed internet. The task force also asked that the complex be centrally located within the state.

Galovich said, “We decided to take on the challenge of researching for a suitable plot of land, and our best location is the old airport property, as well as the acquisition of some private and Bureau of Land Management property. We feel this area is perfectly adequate for the state shooting complex.

Hot Springs County submitted a 34-page pre-RFP document to the task force before the deadline on March 1 that details their plans for the facility. It contains information about how Thermopolis meets the aforementioned qualifications, and contains a concept map of the facility in Hot Springs County.

The concept map provided by Galovich showed the complex built around Round Top Mountain just north of Thermopolis and west of US Highway 20, adjacent to the existing golf course and cemetery. It includes a long range, a short range, a trap and skeet range and an archery range, in addition to a shoot house and a visitors center spread across 1,440 acres. “This is how I envisioned it, we’ll see how it turns out at the end of the day,” said Galovich.

To facilitate the proposed acreage, Galovich said that the State will need to purchase land from the Bureau of Land Management as well as a private owner who has verbally agreed to sell land for the shooting complex.

Having submitted the pre-RFP, Galovich said, “Where it’s really going to get detailed is the final RFP. We know that there are a number of neighboring counties that are also trying to solicit for the complex as well. The final RFP’s will be submitted around the first of April, then it will probably be 60 days for the task force to sort through those. At that point in time, they’re going to narrow it down to three candidates, then in mid-summer they will announce their choice.”

Galovich said that support from Washakie County will be crucial when preparing the final RFP. The proposal that Thermopolis submits will include amenities offered in Washakie County – such as the shooting range and lodging – to supplement the proposed offerings of a shooting complex in the region.

He said, “If it can come to fruition, I believe it will be a major boon for both Hot Springs County and Washakie County. We can bring in people from across the country and even out of the country.”

Galovich stated that the biggest hurdle for their plan is reaching an agreement between the private landowner and the State of Wyoming, which has yet to offer any commitments regarding purchasing the land. He said, “They (private owner) understand that the state buys property on a fair market value, and they understand what that value is for their property. If this thing was to become solid, you definitely have to have an agreement between the state and the private landowners.

“There are a whole lot of things that still need to be decided before this thing gets located in Thermopolis, Wyoming. The biggest part is going to be what the state is willing to commit to. A price needs to be part of this conversation.”

Galovich said Washakie County representatives have offered their support to Hot Springs County.