New gun range is coming to Hanford

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- An empty building in Kings County is getting new life as a gun range. It will feature training classrooms and a state of the art training simulator.

The range is opening on Park Avenue near Central Avenue in Downtown Hanford.

Construction is about to begin on a building left vacant for several years in Downtown Hanford. Kings Gun Center will feature 16 lanes along with three training classrooms once they open.

Owner Todd Cotta said, "It's really neat the way the community has embraced us"

Cotta first opened a gun store in Hanford in 2012. It wasn't long after that plans for the range started falling into place. The abandoned building can be seen from the window of his current shop. He says a range is needed in Kings County.

Cotta added, "Right now people have to drive over an hour to go to the one in Clovis or the one in Fresno or an hour and a half to go to Bakersfield."

The range is right next to a neighborhood. Cotta says he's plans on being a good neighbor.

Cotta says if any noise does manage to escape through the layer of steel and brick it will be minor compared to the nearby train.

People who live here believe that bringing business back into this building will bring promise to the neighborhood. They're hopeful that this project is just the start of revitalizing the entire community.

Construction is set to begin in the next few days then its set to be open in early summer 2015.