Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new shooting range on Graham
Road near Holland Bottoms Wildlife Management Area in Jacksonville
turned out even better than expected. Gov. Mike Beebe led the ceremonies
and another $50,000 was donated to the project that’s estimated to cost
$2.1 million. Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation chairman Bobby Martin
announced the anonymous donation minutes before the governor spoke.
The Game and Fish Foundation, a nonprofit arm of the Arkansas Game and
Fish Commission, will fund $1.5 million of the project. Jacksonville
will pay for the rest, starting with $130,000 from the city’s
advertising and promotion commission.
Once completed, the new facility, which will consist of 14 shooting
ranges, will be the new home of the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports
Program’s state tournament. The AYSSP is the largest of its kind in the
nation, with more than 7,000 people involved each year.
The firing range will be easily accessible from Cabot, Beebe, Lonoke,
Carlisle and surrounding communities. Last year, more than 6,000
students and 1,000 volunteer coaches took part in AYSSP competitions.
There are four regional tournaments each year and a state tournament.
Anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 competitors take part in each regional
event, bringing a much-needed boost to Jacksonville’s economy.
“These kids come with their parents, grandparents, friends and
relatives,” Rep. Mark Perry (D-Jacksonville) said at the groundbreaking.
“That’s four solid weekends of 6,000 to 7,000 people coming into your
city. Based on the formula used by the trap association, it’s a $4
million impact on the city annually.
“The Game and Fish wanted to know if we could have it ready by March,”
Perry said. “That’s when the high school shooting tournaments start.
Tommy Bond (project engineer) said we’d need to have shovels in the dirt
in October. So we’re being aggressive about getting this under way.”
Kudos to Perry and fellow shooting enthusiast Philip Carlisle, who
headed the drive for this impressive project. Thanks also to Mike Wilson
and Jim Peacock for selling the 160 acres at a discounted price of
$3,000 an acre.
Bidding for facility construction will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the mayor’s
office with winning bids likely announced at the Jacksonville City
Council meeting that night. Construction could be completed in March,
which will herald a new era for Jacksonville and surrounding
communities.
