1.) DParker - 08/02/2016

A really nice new shooting range just opened up about 10 minutes east of my house: [URL="http://rockwallgunclub.com/"]Rockwall Gun Club[/URL] I was eagerly anticipating this because I'd heard they were going to have a 500 yd rifle range and an indoor pistol range, along with a lot of modern touches (like cameras overlooking the long range targets, tied to monitors at the shooting benches so you can easily see where you're hitting). So I dug through their website looking for info and discovered the following:

[LIST=1]
[*]It's a membership-only range (with both family and corporate membership plans). No problem. My current range is also members-only, with a one-time $20 sign-up fee and then $15 every time you visit, which allows for all-day shooting as many firearms as you want.
[*]The fee just to submit a membership application is $125.
[*]If you're accepted (pursuant to a background check of some sort) then there's a one-time "initiation fee" of $5,000, which constitutes your lifetime membership.
[*]On top of all that, you must pay a recurring membership fee of $125 / month whether you shoot or not, subject to increase at any time at the range's discretion.
[*]The Corporate initiation fee is $10,000, and the monthly membership fee for that plan is $200.
[/LIST]

It's a really nice place. Too bad I'll never use it. For that much scratch I'd expect live music, a steak dinner, a complimentary car wash and a free take-home bottle of scotch every time I shot there...and probably a little more if I were a single guy.

2.) bluecat - 08/02/2016

Jeez, I'm sure they did a feasibility study and demographic study and came up with a sound financial plan. "Just charge the Hell out 'em. They'll pay."

3.) DParker - 08/02/2016

Rockwall Co. is the highest per-capita income county in TX, and is semi-rural to boot. Plus, country club types will travel from surrounding areas for access to that 500 yd rifle range. I have no doubt they'll get members...I just won't be one of them.

Typical homes in that general vicinity:

4.) Jon - 08/02/2016

When I drive by the local yacht club and see these 80-200' power yachts I just wonder what kind of disposable income these people have. I'm thinking the same people with those yachts join gun clubs like that.

5.) DParker - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=Jon;42821]When I drive by the local yacht club and see these 80-200' power yachts I just wonder what kind of disposable income these people have. I'm thinking the same people with those yachts join gun clubs like that.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it's all about status and keeping out the riff-raff (like me). I showed this to my boss and he raised a good point about how sustainable that will be as a business model. Sure, they'll get a rush of new members from the area because of the amenities and the aforementioned notch in the status belt, and $125/mo from each of them. But then what? If the $5,000 one-time fee is being counted on long-term as a significant part of their revenue stream I'm thinking the rate of new member signup is going to decline precipitously after the first year. And if they don't stay in business past, say....3 years or so...what has your $5K "lifetime membership" bought you?

Maybe bluecat was closer to the right response than I gave credit for.

6.) Swamp Fox - 08/02/2016

Whoever owns that one house ran out of money for a sprinkler system, apparently.

7.) Swamp Fox - 08/02/2016

Old oil bust joke:


You know the difference between a Texan and a pigeon?








A pigeon can still make a deposit on a Mercedes.

8.) DParker - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;42829]Whoever owns that one house ran out of money for a sprinkler system, apparently.[/QUOTE]

TX winter looks just like TX summer, only more brown.

9.) bluecat - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=Swamp Fox;42830]Old oil bust joke:


You know the difference between a Texan and a pigeon?










A pigeon can still make a deposit on a Mercedes.[/QUOTE]

The pigeon can only carry two magazines?

10.) bluecat - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=DParker;42820]Rockwall Co. is the highest per-capita income county in TX, and is semi-rural to boot. Plus, country club types will travel from surrounding areas for access to that 500 yd rifle range. I have no doubt they'll get members...I just won't be one of them.

Typical homes in that general vicinity:

[/QUOTE]


I'm guessing they put Grey Poupon on their schnitzengruben.

11.) Swamp Fox - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=DParker;42832]TX winter looks just like TX summer, only more brown.[/QUOTE]


They should invest in some chickweed and clover...Maybe some onion grass. Spruce the place up a bit.

12.) Swamp Fox - 08/02/2016

I see they're touting a "country club atmosphere."




Why am I picturing DParker as Al Czervik?



Surely he can get in as a guest and shake things up a bit. :wink

13.) DParker - 08/02/2016

[QUOTE=bluecat;42834]The pigeon can only carry two magazines?[/QUOTE]

What do you mean? An African pigeon or a European pigeon?

14.) Jon - 08/03/2016

So, lets just say they get 300 initial members, the immediate influx of cash would be $1.5M which is probably less than it would cost to build said range. Then $125 a month per member is $37.5K of monthly income to pay salary for employees, utilities and whatever else. I think they'll be out of business pretty quickly unless I'm not understanding the amount of rich people in that part of Tx

15.) DParker - 08/03/2016

Well, there's no shortage of disposable income in D/FW...and there are a lot of missing details, like how they financed the land acquisition and construction and what-not. It's not like the $1.5M is going to be paid back out immediately. That said, I think I agree with your assessment in general. Things will likely look really good for the first year or so, but they'll be hard-pressed to make a long-term go of it.

16.) Jon - 08/04/2016

DP, Was on my way camping last weekend up in the hills of Pennsylvania and noticed this new building in Avondale Pa that I hadn't noticed before. It's a new gun shop/range that is actually opening this week. There was an article about it in todays newspaper from up there...... The guy bought the building for 1.5M, put 3.8M into it. Has 20 lanes, can handle 500S&W pistols and even has a lane designed to shoot 50BMG. Has 7200sq/ft of retail sales space where they will only sell gun and gun related goods. Classrooms where NRA certified instructors will hold classes.
Single yearly membership is $300 with unlimited range use and family is $550 which includes 10 free guest passes.
The store is called Target Shooting Solutions. Hope it takes off

17.) DParker - 08/04/2016

[QUOTE=Jon;42872]Single yearly membership is $300 with unlimited range use and family is $550 which includes 10 free guest passes.[/QUOTE]

Well, that's a [B][I]whole[/I][/B] lot better than $125 + $5,000 just to sign up + $125 every month after that. How long is/are their longest rifle lane(s)?

18.) Jon - 08/04/2016

[QUOTE=DParker;42873]Well, that's a [B][I]whole[/I][/B] lot better than $125 + $5,000 just to sign up + $125 every month after that. How long is/are their longest rifle lane(s)?[/QUOTE]

The article didn't mention distances but it did mention that you could RENT a 50BMG!!!! :hb:

19.) DParker - 08/04/2016

Found it: [URL="http://www.targetshootingsolutions.com/range.html"]Target Shooting Solutions: Indoor Shooting Range[/URL]

"Indoor" raised a flag and, sure enough...

[QUOTE]Our range will have capabilities [B]out to 25 yards[/B] and you can shoot rain or shine.[/QUOTE]

It sounds like the only point of renting their .50 BMG is if you have a dislocated shoulder you need to pop back into place.

20.) bluecat - 08/04/2016

:-):-)

21.) bluecat - 08/04/2016

:-):-)