Elite Shooting Sports Set To Permanently Close On April 23

GAINESVILLE, VA — Elite Shooting Sports will close to the public for the final time on Sunday, April 23. The facility announced the closing date on Facebook last week.

In January, the Prince William County government purchased the facility for $22 million. Government officials said the site would be used for police training.

"The last nine years have been an incredible experience and we want to sincerely thank you for your support, loyalty, and friendship," Elite Shooting Sports wrote on Facebook. "We would love to see you in this last month. Thanks for the memories."

The facility's current owner of the facility has said he plans to retire due to ongoing health concerns.

Officials within the police department believe the new facility is a necessary upgrade over their current training facility in Nokesville. The current facility, Pennington Range at the county's public safety training center, was built in 1995. At that time, the police department employed about 300 officers.

The Prince William County Police Department has doubled its numbers since the Pennington Range's construction.

"The 20,000 square foot facility is in need of significant expansion and renovations to meet the demands of a growing county and police department," the police department said in a news release in January. "With only one training bay and 12 lanes capable of training within 50 yards, the range is inefficient in providing officers with the necessary skills, space, and tools needed in modern policing."

Elite Shooting Sports opened in 2014 with four bays and 42 shooting lanes. County officials said they would expand the indoor facility to 65,000 feet for "additional training and growth."

"The facility offers areas for advanced simulation training needed for continued skills development," the police department said. "With the facility already constructed, minimal alterations would be needed."

Police department officials estimated that it would have cost upwards of $28 million to construct a new training facility.

The Prince William County government has not said when training would begin at the Elite Shooting Sports site.