Being that you live there, which location do you honestly feel is best for the facility to host bigger matches? I used to hunt a lot by Ten Sleep. I’m familiar with both Cody and Gillette. Cody is a beautiful area, but a long way off any interstate highway system for travel. Gillette is right on interstate 90, but more wide open range and windy.
That is a question that the committee is going to have to answer - each location has strengths and weaknesses. 9 sites were whittled down to 4 - Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette and Cody; and then a final 2 Cody and Gillette. Cody is the 'little engine that could'...of those 4. There are 4 criteria Site, Future, Accommodations and Draw.
Looking at Site & Future I don't have information on the specific site plans and future expansion etc. to make a comparison. Site development infrastructure would also include road access, power, water, septic/sewer, natural gas, fiber optic, etc. and specifics of ranges, buildings etc.
Accommodations - don't know the number of motel rooms for each city but I'm sure the committee has that number, Gillette does have the Cam-Plex which has a lot of RV parking. Both have a regional airport that provides jet service to and from Denver via United Airlines.
Draw - This criteria would be one reason why Cody is a finalist. There is no comparison to the other 3 sites that made the initial cut. If you think about trying to attract organizations to pick your complex, you better have a great facility, but looking at what a deciding factor could be is what is there to do outside of participating in the competition before during or after - sort of form vs function. So if you're trying to decide whether to attend an event one factor could be making it a family trip (bringing along your wife or husband or kids...). What is there to do while the event is going on or for you as a family to take in before or after. This is one criteria that any organization will consider when deciding on a location to hold their event. It is also important to Wyoming to have a site that has impact outside of shooting, that encourages people to stay and come back and could attract new businesses to Wyoming.
Cody is a gateway community for Yellowstone National Park, with Grand Teton NP not far either. Buffalo Bill Center of the West with 5 museums; Firearms, Whitney Western Art, Plains Indians, Draper Natural History & Buffalo Bill - something for everyone. Cody Stampede Rodeo July 1-4 with a parade on both the 3rd and 4th and the Cody Night Rodeo (every night from June - August). Beartooth Highway - dubbed the most beautiful roadway in American by Charles Kuralt in his On The Road series. Buffalo Bill Dam and lake along with the State Park with camping. Shoshone National Forest with lots of camping and fishing on a multitude of rivers and creeks, including Shoshone River, Clarks Fork River, Sunlight Creek, etc., this includes river rafting excursions on the Shoshone River offered by operators out of Cody and a plethora of Lodges up the Northfork. Cody itself has 20 minute Stagecoach tours based out of the Irma Hotel, trail rides out on the west strip, the Cody Firearms Experience where folks can get a chance to shoot a variety of weapons including black powder rifles and pistols up to and including machines guns (Gatling gun, Thompson submachine, M16 & FN P90) and then there's main street with a variety of restaurants, nice gifts shops to the venerable rubber tomahawk shops. In winter months there is major snowmobile use at Pilot Creek parking area which is used to access the Beartooths and Cooke City and ice climbing up the Southfork. There is a small ski hill up the Northfork with lifts however it can be hit and miss depending on snow fall, but Red Lodge, MT just around the corner has a good one.
To be fair to Gillette, they do have a Holiday Inn Express...
cowboystatedaily.com
rangeservices.nra.org
That wasn’t a little bias on your part was it? lol!
cowboystatedaily.com
