Arizona's Ben Avery Shooting Facility Protected

[RSL]

There are plans to build a huge Industrial Park, Residential Homes, Medical Facilities and Shopping Complex to support the Taiwan Semiconductor Fabs directly across AZ State Highway 74 from the Ben Avery Shooting Facilities. This new AZ Law is designed to potentially prevent the closure and sale of the shooting facility without legislative approval.
However, the Arizona Legislature is controlled by the real estate industry. I have mixed emotions about the true purpose of the new law.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Isn't the Ben Avery Shooting facility/complex affiliated with (aka owned/previously owned by) the NRA and highly used by other National Shooting Sports Organizations as a major national shooting and competition range?

I've never been there, but have heard a lot about it.

At face value the new law seems to protect public ranges from being turned into developments or closed down.

What are your apprehension about the new law?

What am I and others not fully informed of about this new law?

 

[Jhsmith]

Isn't the Ben Avery Shooting facility/complex affiliated with (aka owned/previously owned by) the NRA and highly used by other National Shooting Sports Organizations as a major national shooting and competition range?

I've never been there, but have heard a lot about it.

At face value the new law seems to protect public ranges from being turned into developments or closed down.

What are your apprehension about the new law?

What am I and others not fully informed of about this new law?

You’re thinking of the Whittington Center near Raton, New Mexico.

 

[RSL]

Isn't the Ben Avery Shooting facility/complex affiliated with (aka owned/previously owned by) the NRA and highly used by other National Shooting Sports Organizations as a major national shooting and competition range?

I've never been there, but have heard a lot about it.

At face value the new law seems to protect public ranges from being turned into developments or closed down.

What are your apprehension about the new law?

What am I and others not fully informed of about this new law?

I believe you are thinking about the Whittington Center in New Mexico.

My fear is that the power brokers in Arizona, the
real estate industry leaders, have engineered this new law so that the AZ Legislature can sell the Ben Avery Facility with out public notification or approval. I am concerned this law was passed as a protection for State Shooting Ranges when it actually gives control to the power brokers.

The land at this location has become mega valuable. This is the biggest real estate boom in the history of Arizona. The Taiwan Semiconductor Corporation and it's associated suppliers and vendors are driving this frenzy. Billions of dollars are being spent on land and construction in that corridor. The southwest corner of I-17 and State Highway 74. The Ben Avery Facility occupies the
northwest corner of that same intersection. Approximately 1700 acres under the supervision of the Arizona Game and Fish Division. Ben Avery is probably the premier shooting facility in the Southwest United States.

I know I sound like a conspiracy alarmist. I am ok with that and hope i am proven wrong. I will try to post a map of the area tomorrow.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I believe you are thinking about the Whittington Center in New Mexico.

My fear is that the power brokers in Arizona, the
real estate industry leaders, have engineered this new law so that the AZ Legislature can sell the Ben Avery Facility with out public notification or approval. I am concerned this law was passed as a protection for State Shooting Ranges when it actually gives control to the power brokers.

The land at this location has become mega valuable. This is the biggest real estate boom in the history of Arizona. The Taiwan Semiconductor Corporation and it's associated suppliers and vendors are driving this frenzy. Billions of dollars are being spent on land and construction in that corridor. The southwest corner of I-17 and State Highway 74. The Ben Avery Facility occupies the
northwest corner of that same intersection. Approximately 1700 acres under the supervision of the Arizona Game and Fish Division. Ben Avery is probably the premier shooting facility in the Southwest United States.

I know I sound like a conspiracy alarmist. I am ok with that and hope i am proven wrong. I will try to post a map of the area tomorrow.

I knew Ben Avery was a big place. I didn't realize it was that big of place.

I re read that second paragraph. I can see where that could be misleading:

'It adds legislature approval for any existing requirements for public hearings, commission approval, and action by the Governor."

 

[RSL]

Map of the area in question. All the land south of 74 and down to 303 and west of I-17 is presently under development. North is up.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Tanks]

I have been to Ben Avery multiple times for USPSA regional championships. I even saved on hotels as they allow you to camp on the grounds so I was able to use my rooftop tent.

 

[quandary]

Whenever I read that something was passed without a s*****g vote it makes me rest somewhat easier.

 

[RSL]

I have been to Ben Avery multiple times for USPSA regional championships. I even saved on hotels as they allow you to camp on the grounds so I was able to use my rooftop tent.

View attachment 772913

Ben Avery is a great facility. The range officers are volunteers and do a very good job. The RV/tent camping area is a bonus to shooters who travel to the many Regional and National events. I am fortunate to live fairly close.

 

[skydiver386]

There are several very big problems with Ben Avery and it's proximity to the greater Phoenix metro area.

1. The SDZ of any range where center-fire rifles are used is huge, often 3 miles or more. The only alternative to this is requiring shooters to fire the rifle through a culvert tube making it nearly impossible to put one over the backstop. There is no practical way to do this on many of the ranges at Ben Avery, specifically the Metallic Silhouette range.

2. Ben Avery occupies a huge piece of land that is closed off to both the public, and the individual clubs a huge portion of the time. I remember when it was Black Canyon and it wasn't fenced in and the gates locked 24/7. Now you can drive past empty ranges that stay empty for weeks on end on your way to the public 100yd zero range or the shotgun trap/skeet facility.

When the State of Arizona decided to conduct a hostile takeover of a number of range facilities, I said openly that it was a bad idea. Probably 80% of these facilities is off limits to the Public 100%, of the time. Only the Clubs can use many of the ranges, and the MOU restricts them to one day per month, or at least it used to.

They tried to do exactly the same thing in Yuma at the Adair Ranges.

When States take over Range facilities, people simply find a place out in the desert against a hillside to shoot. Old lawnmowers, tv sets, washing machines and even old cars accumulate because folks don't want to deal with the State ranges.

The fact is, Ben Avery is going to be surrounded by urban sprawl eventually, and be forced to close. The way ranges used be operated by local Clubs was much better in my opinion.