The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Lake Erie Arms ‘mega facility’ in the works
Two-story complex set to open later this year
The owners of Lake Erie Arms say they are excited for the upcoming opening of a new “mega-facility” under construction in Perkins Township in Erie County.
Lake Erie Arms, currently operates at its location at 3512 Cleveland Road in Huron, and is owned by Brent McConnell, president and lead instructor, and Jim West, vice president and director of memberships.
The team’s current facility is about 1,200 square feet and they are excited to move later this year into a two-story complex situated on 17 acres.
The building will include approximately 94,000 square feet on about two acres, McConnell said.
The $15 million project is under construction, located on U.S. Route 250 near East Bogart Road, just south of state Route 2.
“We’re beyond excited,” McConnell said.
As part of their research after coming up with the idea about four years ago to build a “world-class mega facility,” McConnell and West said they took to the highway in a recreational vehicle and toured 20 shooting sports clubs as a sort of fact-finding mission.
“We take pride in being the best,” West said.
The final plans call for an indoor shooting complex, which will feature two floors of amenities for patrons.
The first floor will include 9,000 square feet of retail space, a public dining area, a shooting range, a customization counter and other amenities for a higher-tier membership such as a vault room for personal storage, locker rooms with sauna and steam rooms, restaurant with a bar and an outdoor patio, according to the planning documents.
The second floor will be complete with a media room, event room with space for 150 people, open seating area, viewing windows and classrooms.
Members of the highertier will have a separate bar and seating area as well as a cigar lounge, according to the plans.
The owners are offering early bird memberships with discounted initiation fees which are available in several different tier packages.
“It’s developing into one of the nicest indoor shooting facilities in the nation,” West said.
The facility is scheduled to open mid to late summer.