PrairieFire, located on the grounds that were once home to shooting-and-training facility Front Sight in Nevada, has scheduled its grand opening for Sept. 23. Company CEO Bill Wilson (not the same person of Wilson Combat fame) told the Pahrump Valley Times after acquiring the facility in bankruptcy proceedings late last year, “The PrairieFire mission is simple. We will create the finest shooting facility in the world, and establish the former Front Sight facility as the pre-eminent shooting destination experience.”

Front Sight was established in 1996 in Texas, but in 1998 it acquired 550 acres in Nye County, NV, a 45-minute drive from Las Vegas. Operations slowly moved to that location. The years that followed proved to be turbulent, with lifetime members bearing the brunt of significant budget cuts.

Before closing, Front Sight boasted an air-conditioned classroom capable of holding 450 students and a total of 24 ranges for shotgun, handgun and rifle. Construction was allegedly underway for another 26 when it permanently closed its doors.

Front Sight officially filed for bankruptcy on May 24, 2022. PrairieFire acquired it on Dec. 5 of that year. The business model of Prairie Fire is vastly different than that of Front Sight. The firm’s sister company, Stagecoach Outpost, will lead development of the site’s 550 acres of real estate, creating a destination that will include an expansive lifestyle residential and RV community.

Todd Reid, CEO of Stagecoach Outpost, explained in announcing December’s court decision, “With this acquisition, we have launched our plans to make the beautiful Pahrump Valley a destination for those interested in an adventure-seeking outdoor lifestyle. We plan to invest heavily in the location’s real estate, lodging, and hospitality assets. Our goal is to create a vibrant community of possibilities as expansive and uniquely American as the breathtaking terrain it is built upon.”

Article by GUY J. SAGI