Possible new pistol complex in Ohio

First topic message reminder :

A few comments have been made here and on FB so I am starting a new topic.

There is a large trap shooting complex near Columbus called Cardinal Center.  They are currently looking into the construction of a 300 point range along with action pistol ranges.  The proposed complex would be large enough to host the National Precision Pistol Championship.  They have a large campgrounds on site, a beautiful vendors row, and many other wonderful amenities.  It is very accessible and you can actually see their events happening as you drive past on I-71.  They are truly professionals at running large scale shooting events. 

http://cardinalcentercamp.com/

What about housing at this new complex? Will they put up huts like at Perry? Eight days in a tent ain't gonna cut it.

KB2MBC wrote:What about housing at this new complex? Will they put up huts like at Perry? Eight days in a tent ain't gonna cut it.

Yes they have about 30 cabins but they are a "little" nicer than Perry, they also have about 300 RV/camping sites.

Check out their link listed above

- Dave

Its a great trapshooting/camping facility. Just perfect for your.motor coaches.

Just so you know, all the huts have been replaced and all have air conditioners.
There's 100 or so huts.

KB2MBC wrote:Just so you know, all the huts have been replaced and all have air conditioners.
There's 100 or so huts.

WHERE?

Where does a person stay if the huts are all taken?

Some Options on where to stay besides the Huts:
Barracks  (try to get in with a military group....they keep better hours/understand curfew and others)
Condo (Nice digs most of them)
Hotel
RV
Home

-Ron

100 huts, 50 or so rv spots, 3 barracks, the motel, transient quarters, off base hotels, condos and campgrounds within 10 minutes. There is a lot of housing at and around camp Perry. The rifle ranges are in good shape. So the main thing seems to be the pistol target system. 

That just doesn't seem that expensive to rebuild, but then again, someone has to do make the effort and do it.

My last call to Perry Barracks were available. I understand the one behind the Old Mess hall is pretty nice. (Old Mess hall has long been torn down) The old Military Barracks were open squad bay. As far as I know none of the military shooters stay on Perry. Army is in the Condo just before the draw bridge. A few days ago Super 8 was listed on a housing site, one room available for $87 a night. Most places around Perry will charge $100 to $150/ night. Might find cheaper rooms near Toledo or south of Oak Harbor. Sandusky gets expensive too because of the Theme Park.

Frank

The marines stay at Perry or have for the past few years, so do the Navy shooters, and some of the USAR.

During my PPC career, 80s/90s I was heavily influenced by LAPD Champion John Pride.. Read all his books, and bought all of his pysc tapes. I, in turn caution the few I coach and support, to follow similar practices.. Stay in a quiet hotel/motel far away from the mainstream shooting crowd.  Get undisturbed rest and relaxation between days of shooting. Get your equipment/gear  clean, set up, and ready for the next day. Prepare and rehearsh  your strategies..Go to the line with a definite plan.. There are 51 weeks in the year to socialize, cook out  and party..The other week is for Perry.. There are competitors, and participants.Which one do you want to be..??

Good point Jerry.

When was the last Perry Champion someone who stayed on Camp Perry for lodging?

Jon

Listen to Jerry if you are winning level type serious. 

I shoot the rifle stages, stay in a condo, and have pretty much stayed in the top 10 finishers over the past dozen years. When I leave the range, I do exactly as Jerry mentions, as do all of the other top finishers that I am aware of.  David Tubb stays in his motor home in the RV park, if that classifies as Camp Perry lodging (I do not think so), Norm Houle has stayed in one of the cottages, and that is about as close as I know of for the rifle shooters.

-Ron

I'm not sure about rifle but I know where many of the top pistol shooters were the night after the .22 match, actually the same place as after center fire! I was there only to keep an eye on them (It's my excuse and I'm sticking to it) Most of them were the very top and winners of the match. Naturally I had to blend in so and not to raise suspicion so I had to have a few too.  
 I think if you get too serious it stops being fun and scores will fall!
 This being my 35th consecutive year at Perry I have stayed on base for the last 34 years. It was great, the Mess hall was good, at least breakfast was great, lunch was good and dinner was OK, all for $5. Commercial Row was packed and most were open very late. The road was full of shooters and it was difficult to drive thru. Now Perry is like a ghost town after the matches are over!

Frank

Froneck wrote:
so I had to have a few too.:lol!
 I think if you get too serious it stops being fun and scores will fall!
Frank

A very accomplished Marine Shooter once told me, at our first meeting. Quote: "This is not a game to me. I am very serious about this."..... We developed a friendship that I dearly miss.
The late, Colonel Al Bacon.
Total expenses for equipment, ammo, travel, lodging, training, and TIME. It doesn't take long to get into $ 5 decimal places, and countless hours. If you want to party, drink, and hang out until the wee hours, you won't do it on my dime..

Jerry,

(rifle phase) a group of us usually go together and rent a condo. Right now, in the $1400/week range. 3 guys, that is $66 a night. 5 guys, and it is $40 a night, the same as a hut (or less now?).  The condos have a complete kitchen, two bathrooms, washer and dryer (ever get rained on at Perry and needed to dry your stuff?).  A television set, with cable.  It is quiet, 15 minutes away, the beds are relatively comfortable.....So, I am like you, quiet time, comfort and nice, can take care of equipment, fix a nice meal, prep for the next day. It makes it a vacation, as well as good environment for shooting well.



-Ron

During rifle, quite a few top shooters stay at the RV park on base. Last year I was between Tompkins and Tubbs.

Hard to beat the RV for me. I just have a small travel trailer, but I like having my own bed, fridge, toilet, shower, TV, etc etc.

CR10X wrote:Let's see, a government owned military facility that is already used for firearms training or a private facility subject to potential control or closure by municipal, county or state jurisdiction?  How many private ranges have been closed in the past versus military / governmental?  

Just something to think about in the long term.   If we leave Camp Perry, I would not expect the opportunity to ever return if the new site were to close.

Just something to think about. ....

While I love Camp Perry, and the tradition there.  I think a private facility will be both more cost effective, and more responsive to competitors needs and wants.


Unfortunately with the joint Federal state control, and funding of Guard bases like Camp Perry,  no cost analysis seems to go into any of the housing, or other facilities.  

I suspect the NRA has been locked into a very expensive agreement with the state of Ohio, for their minimal use of the  guard facility at Camp Perry, and I know after having a conversation with one of the Colonels working on the base, that the vendors are getting screwed, especially the smaller ones, who would like to establish a presence at the National matches.

Who in the private sector would sign a contract for wireless internet that has such poor bandwidth that it is unusable?

jmdavis wrote:50 or so rv spots, 

Ten or so of those RV camping spots must be invisible because I haven't been able to get a spot on Post in four years.  

The RV park is not only half the size it should have been,  it has no pull throughs, and while the rest rooms near the huts are open,  the ones in the RV park are locked and they give you one key per RV space.   They are also pricy for one person.

Schaumannk wrote:

jmdavis wrote:50 or so rv spots, 

Ten or so of those RV camping spots must be invisible because I haven't been able to get a spot on Post in four years.  

The RV park is not only half the size it should have been,  it has no pull throughs, and while the rest rooms near the huts are open,  the ones in the RV park are locked and they give you one key per RV space.   They are also pricy for one person.

Talk to some of the people familiar w/ running the NC's and the various needs and the above is the type of problems which are encountered when contemplating a move.

One of the 1st concerns is decent digs for volunteers.

Ron Habegger

Ghillieman wrote:Where does a person stay if the huts are all taken?

Well... I have my wife interested now and this is what she found. Taking some of the earlier advice about relaxing and cleaning the guns this should work pretty good. (might have to sell a pistol to pay for it)

http://www.baysedge.com/townhouses.html


Their Grand opening was today 4/30/15

Ron,

The prospective site has great accommodations available for volunteers.  Far better than what Camp Perry has to offer.

All the housing on base is usually filled right after its open for reservations. I don't even try anymore. I usually call a couple days before I leave and ask if there are cancelations, and they ask me what I want (motel, module, hut, barracks, etc), all have openings.

I have stayed in the RV park every year since its been built, always booked up at first, but cancelations or whatever allow me to get in at the last minute. Some book it "just in case" they decide to go, then lose the one day reservation fee when they don't go.

This is for rifle weeks, might not be the same for pistol, but would guess it would be.

Many stay at other RV parks real close, I've been told by shooters Paradise RV park is real close, and many stay there and like it. I haven't stayed there myself, so can't comment on how good it is.

I have stayed at East Harbor State park, which is a little farther, but much cheaper than Perry's park.

KenO wrote:
This is for rifle weeks, might not be the same for pistol, but would guess it would be.

You would be wrong.    

I suspect the problem is pistol has much more intensive volunteer demands because there is no pit duty for non firing rifle shooters.  

When the condos got torn down, volunteers and teams filled up the RV park before individual competitors could even call for a space.  

To top it off, there were no barracks for women, so it was either the RV park or off post for me.  

I know one person who got a space Sunday night  when one of the teams cancelled out, and if you live in the local area, that is fine, but I am not one to pull a trailer 1300 miles, on the off chance that I "might" be able to get a space on post.  

I found a good place through word of mouth.    They don't advertise, and I want it to stay that way.  

By the way, the Mosquitos are terrible in the parks close to the river.

sixftunda wrote:A few comments have been made here and on FB so I am starting a new topic.

There is a large trap shooting complex near Columbus called Cardinal Center.  They are currently looking into the construction of a 300 point range along with action pistol ranges.  The proposed complex would be large enough to host the National Precision Pistol Championship.  They have a large campgrounds on site, a beautiful vendors row, and many other wonderful amenities.  It is very accessible and you can actually see their events happening as you drive past on I-71.  They are truly professionals at running large scale shooting events. 

http://cardinalcentercamp.com/

I visited the Cardinal Center on 6/18/15.  It is indeed an excellent place to shoot and the proposed ranges are terrific.  The ranges will not be available for use until the 2017 shooting season.

Lodging options are: Bring or rent an RV; there are 26 cabins that are about 1/2 again as large as a hut at Camp Perry but much nicer and include private facilities; hotels are available at 9 miles away or 19 miles away; tenting with 24 private showers available in the shower house, nearby housing available in a christian camp with barracks style rooms.

Golf cart use is encouraged and rentals can be made available.

Firing lines to be covered.

I would consider moving the National Championships there and I believe that it could be a better place than Camp Perry.

So here is the question:  Given the history of Camp Perry; would you elected to move the National Pistol Championship away from there to a new facility?