The site at 415 Industrial Blvd., McKinney, is an unoccupied warehouse, according to meeting documents. The applicant, Thom H. Beyer, said he intends to construct the interior to suit the use of a shooting range with slight modifications to the exterior of the building.
The Range in McKinney would include an estimated 18 shooting lanes with a distance of 25 yards. It would also have two classrooms with classes taught by National Rifle Association-certified instructors as well as a retail store, a lounge area to spectate shootings and membership opportunities, according to meeting documents.
In addition, The Range would be one of the first private ranges in Texas to house a high-grade virtually immersive training system. This system is used by a handful of militaries and law-enforcement agencies around the world, Beyer said.
“This virtual training system provides realistic and virtually immersive training, which allows users to feel as if they are in the middle of the action,” Beyer said. This system prepares them for what may happen and also teaches them how to de-escalate the situation.”
He said the system alone would draw in people from around the area to come try the system and spend their dollars in McKinney.
City staff expressed concern for the noise that could come from an indoor gun range. Beyer said he is using the same wall configuration that was used for a facility in Illinois, which he said efficiently blocked the noise from the range.
Council also showed concern for the noise potential, with The Range being proposed in close proximity to residential neighborhoods. However, they also expressed enthusiasm for the project and approved it unanimously, stipulating that the project move forward as long as the noise was not a disturbance to the neighborhood.
“Thank you for doing business in McKinney,” Council Member Charlie Philips said to Beyer. “We’ve needed this for a very, very long time.”
