Canton shooting-club representative urges commission not to close range, says facility draws visitors and revenue

Bridal McCann, speaking on behalf of the shooting club's student‑support group, told the Canton City Commission that rumors the city was planning to close the local shooting range were unfounded and that the facility brings visitors and revenue to the area.

The club “got over 400 members,” McCann said, adding the club’s recordkeeping makes the exact number hard to break out. She said the range runs multiple events year‑round and has an upcoming USPSA match she expected would draw “probably 200 people from outside of town” and that “some of them” would stay as long as three days. McCann said entry fees for that match are “a hundred and $30 to enter,” and that vendors’ food and beverage sales are taxable.

Why it matters: McCann said the range is used for training and demonstrations by several law‑enforcement agencies, hosts national groups such as Girls with Guns, and is one of the only ranges in the area besides one in North Sioux Falls. She asked commissioners to visit the match scheduled in two weeks so they could see the event’s scale.

McCann told the commission the rumor of a closure had caused organizers to consider cancelling events. “When the rumor came on about getting shut down, I talked to our main member that is in charge of our USPSA,” she said. “He goes, ‘oh my god. We have the night match coming up. He goes, I’m gonna cancel it.’ I said, no. You’re not.”

A member of the meeting leadership responded during the discussion that, to their knowledge, the commission had not discussed closing the range in a public meeting. Commissioners invited the speaker and members of the public to attend the upcoming match to see the range in operation.

The commission did not announce any follow‑up action or a vote on the range during the portion of the meeting included in the transcript. The city response and any staff follow‑up were not specified in the record provided.