Semi-Private Shooting Club concept: Input needed

[BimmerFreak]

I have a friend in Northern California that is thinking about putting an outdoor range complex in, and I thought I would solicit some thoughts and ideas from you guys.

Location:

The land is about 10 minutes off of a major Highway (thats what we call Interstates here) and is about 45 minutes to 1 hour away from major population centers.

(think something like Mboro/Nashville type area)

Being Semi-Private, members would support and drive the business.

There would be a "daily rate" for new shooters, or people that just want to come out once or twice a year, but for the most part he is looking for members.

Non-Members wouldnt get any of the perks the annual members receive, and would be limited on what days/times they could use the facility.

Bottomline; membership has it's perks.

Facilities:

He is looking at 50 to 120 acres, depending on layout and terrain.

Clubhouse would be member only

Small retail facility would stock shooting supplies, rent range guns, etc

Picnic area, place to just hang out

Ranges:

1000m Range (there are no 1k ranges that are easy to access within 100 miles of this place)

100m to 600m rifle range

25m to 100m carbine range

25m pistol range

.22LR training range

3D archery range

Sporting Clays course

** A 10-12 bay indoor range could be an option within 3 years with the right number of members

Membership costs:

Annual Membership @ 800.00/yr per person

Family Membership @ 1200.00/yr Immediate family (up to 4 people)

Military/LE membership @ 550.00/yr per person Active/Reserves/Retired Military and Active LE

Non-Member Costs:

10.00 per day

No access to clubhouse

Membership Perks:

1 Day per week would be Member Only days. No non-members or "Day Pass" shooters would be allowed

2 Mornings or Afternoons per week would be Member Only. No non-members or "Day Pass" shooters would be allowed

Full access to clubhouse

Ammo cost would be true landed cost + 10%

Major discount on firearms in the pro shop

Member only events/cookouts/social events

Major discount on training

Free HCP class for individual or their spouse

Training:

HCP

Class III/Full Auto familiarization training (play with machineguns)

Well known, vetted, and respected traveling trainers (think Clint Smith, Rob P, etc)

LE and .Mil run flat range, sniper, etc course

Combatives and close combat course run by a legend in the martial arts world (Masters Hall of Fame)

Taser

ASP

O/C Spray

NRA courses

Youth Firearm Safety

Appleseed

etc

So that is the basic concept.

What he needs help with is nailing down the acceptable membership fees.

As you know, this facility wont be cheap, so paying members are a must.

What sort of fees do you guys see? Are the proposed fees something that a serious shooter would support?

* The cost savings in ammo may make up for over half of your membership fee throughout the year...

If YOU were a member, what sort of facilities, features, ranges would you want to see?

One final note;

He is planning on capping the membership at 1000 to 1500 members.

What does that mean for members? It means they wont belong to a club that is constantly packed and busy.

You wont have to wait all day to get a lane, etc.

Any and all advice, thoughts, criticism is welcome!

[peejman]

Sounds really nice, but $1200/yr?!? Unless you've got the decimal in the wrong place, that's waaaaay beyond my modest means.

ORSA offers very similar facilities and training opportunities and is $120/yr (family).

Cherokee Rod And Gun Club - not quite as extensive facilities, but reasonably nice. $75/yr (family)

Unaka Rod and Gun Club - basically same as above $90/yr (family)

Volunteer Rifle & Pistol Club - again, similar. $96/yr (family).

I know things are more expensive on the left coast, but that sure seems pricey to me. I hope he's studied the demographics and knows there's a market out there for such a thing. Perhaps I misunderstand, is the training and such free for members or at additional cost? If the membership fee includes a couple of those 2 day training classes at no additional cost, that might make it more reasonable, though I still couldn't afford it.

I'd happily pay the $10/day assuming the "members only" days aren't every weekend.

[TGO David]

I would definitely consider $800 annually for something that had all of the amenities described. That's about 25% of what most folks will pay for season tickets to an NHL or NFL franchise, and I like shooting a whole hell of a lot more than I like watching overpaid athletes do their thing.

[jcj]

I would definitely consider $800 annually for something that had all of the amenities described. That's about 25% of what most folks will pay for season tickets to an NHL or NFL franchise, and I like shooting a whole hell of a lot more than I like watching overpaid athletes do their thing.

+1. Sounds like a lot, but the average household probably spends the same or more on cable/satellite TV every year.

[mav]

The price seems a little high to me. However, if it was really well-managed (meaning - keeping all of the douchebags out), then I could live with it. If not, then I would never join as a member.

[hipower]

Plans sound very good. But appears to be on the level of an upper income country club. Probably would go over in this area, simply because of all the perks and proposed facilities. But I'd have to think long and hard about that 800-1200 per year membership.

David's equating it to Titans ticket pricing is a good analogy, but I gave up the 1000+ per year on that as well.

I'd say there are lots of people here who can afford it, and I could as well, but that's still a lot. JMO

[Guest nicemac]

So if I am looking at this place, I would pay $10 per day. I would have to go 80 days a year to get to break even on a membership. Sure, there will be people willing to pay $800 per year to get to use "the clubhouse", but 1,000 to 1,500 willing to pay that? Not sure…

[G27]

Yah, once/week is a good amount of shooting for me, so I'd easily choose the day rate. $500/year with no clubhouse is a no-brainer, imo.

[Jasongar8]

I don't have enough time to go shoot 80+ times a year justify the $800 price tag. I think a lot of retired guys would get their money worth if they became members. They can go shoot as much as they want and can hang out for a few hours in the clubhouse after. But for a working guy with a family or gf the $10 a day seems like the best deal. Plus most people that shoot a lot (like once or twice per week) reload so the ammo discount wouldn't apply to them. The training discount would be nice though.

[Guest ArmyVeteran37214]

In this economy, I can't see myself paying any more than $450-$550 a year for said amenities described in OP.

Lower the price point and add 500-700 more members max, IMO.

[Guest nicemac]

$40 per year at CHMR is perfect for me!

[Murgatroy]

I like the concept. That price is steep, but if this range is going on in California, that is probably about right.

I would consider it in Tennessee for around $300 a year per member, the cost of living difference is a big thing. Then there are also clubs that offer some of the same things locally (or did last time I checked) such as the discounts and ammo costs but don't offer as much in ranges. They are also much cheaper typically in the $200 range.

If it included on site camping, I think I could be enticed to go as high as $500.

[PirateQui]

$40 per year at CHMR is perfect for me!

+1.

Only thing he is missing is a longer range for rifles.. I'd pay as much as 150$ annually if I could shoot out to 500yards or so.

[dlm37015]

i stay with the davidson county sportsmens club 75.00 per year 270 yard range. there is onre in detroit mi called the detroit sportsmens something or other with nice ranges just north of detroit

[Guest WyattEarp]

i really don't understand the whole membership thing to go do some target practice. I did grow up in Missouri though, and there wasn't any memberships required, you just went to the range and you paid $2, and brought your own targets, gun and ammo. You could get a month discount for like $20 if you paid in full up front. I guess that equates to a membership, it's just done in a different way.

are there no public ranges run by TWRA here? The one in Missouri I went to was run MO Dept of Conservation and Wildlife.

[TGO David]

are there no public ranges run by TWRA here? The one in Missouri I went to was run MO Dept of Conservation and Wildlife.

Let me google that for you

[dlm37015]

thr one in detroit is the detroit sportsmens congress it is very nice

[mav]

Has anyone been to this place?

U.S. Shooting Academy

It looks awesome, and they have some of the prices like you are talking about (even more).

[bigwakes]

$40 per year at CHMR is perfect for me!

Yep, it's all I need for a range.

If that guy wants to attract $800 members he may need to up his daily to $20-25/ day with like every other Tuesday $10.

[Guest m14man]

here is i nice facility and most people complain about the prices here but its cheaper than your list. if i lived in memphis id be a member we drive buy on the train and it looks like a great place.

Memphis Sport Shooting Association

[Magiccarpetrides]

If its an hour away from major population center and considering the demographic that would be prevalent(old well off retired guys) he might want to consider RV parking spots. For California I would say as long as he does his research to make sure that kind of money is in the area hes building he should be ok. Make sure he has reactive targets at the range as those are all the rage these days. Instead of $800 he should make it $750...for some odd reason that number seems much more attractive and is only $50 less. Also he will have to be extremely careful how he does members only days. If he cuts out too many days he will not be able to convert non-members into members because they will go, get turned away, and get pissed off and not come back. Especially if they show up after driving an hour(I know it sounds stupid why they wouldnt check but I have out of state customers do this all the time to me without calling first to confirm a $10-20,000 car is even still available!). Might even want to have some kind of heli-pad installed for the well-heeled clientele ;-D

[tnhawk]

A larger number of resonable priced memberships will add up to more than a few high priced memberships. I pay $120 a year with a hour drive to the range.

[Capbyrd]

here is i nice facility and most people complain about the prices here but its cheaper than your list. if i lived in memphis id be a member we drive buy on the train and it looks like a great place.

Memphis Sport Shooting Association

Yep. Everyone complains about the initiation fee at MSSA. For me, it was worth it. Its a great club and once you are already a member, its only 240 a year. That breaks down to 20 bucks a month and I was easily spending more than that at RangeUSA.

I think the guy has a nice plan but I think his price might be a little steep. Although, he might be able to get that in Cali. I don't know much about that part of the world.