Shooting Complex finds cost savings

CODY (WNE) — Work is underway on a significant cost-saving measure for the Wyoming State Shooting Complex.

In an effort to reduce construction costs, the SSC joint powers board entered into an agreement with an adjacent property owner of the SSC construction site to open a gravel pit from which to source material.  

In return for access to the gravel pit, the joint powers board is responsible for opening and closing the pit, processing gravel for the project as well as the property owner, and paying $1 per cubic yard of gravel.  Both Park County and the SSC will use the pit for the county road and on-site construction.

“When you think about gravel being about $12 per yard delivered, we’re going to do extremely well from that standpoint,” board member James Klessens said. “This is a tremendous benefit to not only the county, but the shooting complex in particular.”

The estimated total cost for the shooting complex is between $50,000 to $60,000, Klessens said.

Although the county will use the gravel pit to construct the road leading to the construction site, the complex is unlikely to do so until the road is completed by county staff.

“This is a huge cost saving.  I don’t know the numbers yet, but it's going to be very material and it’s going to stockpile us for a long time to come,” SSC board chairman Glenn Ross said.

In total, Klessens estimated that the SSC project will use approximately 40,000 tons of gravel during the construction phase.  Future maintenance projects will likely require a significantly smaller figure, fewer than 1,000 tons per year, and would be sourced from a commercial entity.

This story was published on Sept. 1, 2025.