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Law enforcement gets first look at Guntry

TRIADELPHIA — Law enforcement and local business people got the first look inside Guntry-West Virginia on Thursday, with many attendees noting the indoor shooting range, with many amenities, was starting things off with a bang.

Guntry hosted an open house for law enforcement Thursday morning at their new location at The Highlands, with many officers anxious to try the training ground for firearms and weapons training.

In the evening, the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a “business after hours” at the facility.

“People are blown away,” said Jason Rine, manager at Guntry. “‘Overwhelmed’ is the word. What we hear is, ‘Wow, it’s so much more than I expected. Take my money.'”

Rine noted requests about obtaining memberships so far have been numerous.

Memberships for the community will be available for sale starting this weekend, when Guntry hosts its open houses for the public. The first is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, with a second community open house from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Among those leading tours of the shooting ranges and other areas at Guntry was retired Ohio County Deputy Drage Flick, who will serve as an instructor at the facility.

After attendees gathered near the entrance to Guntry — where there is a restaurant and retail area — Flick and others took them on tours of the 100-yard and 25-yard shooting ranges.

They moved on to rooms that will be set up for video simulation training and video games in the future, and members of the public will be able to rent the room for parties.

Also available for rent by members will be the “Founders Room” — an elegant room clad with leather furniture and refrigerators.

But those refrigerators were empty on Thursday.

“We don’t sell alcohol,” Rine said. “It’s BYOB (bring your own bottle), for corporate members and founders members only. We have two locked liquor cabinets. When you come in, you give us your bottles. We will label it with your name and it goes in a locker.”

When the member is done shooting, they can ask to retrieve the bottle, but not before, Rine continued. An employee will walk with them to unlock the liquor cabinet, get them the bottle and relock the cabinet.

“If we suspect you have been (drinking alcohol) before you shoot, you will be expelled from the building and you won’t be allowed back in if we suspect you are drinking. And that doesn’t just go with the Founder’s Room. If you were sitting in any of the restaurants (drinking alcohol) near here or in your living room and come here to shoot, we have a zero tolerance policy for that.”

Among law enforcement present Thursday morning was Ohio County Sheriff Nelson Croft and his father, retired deputy Harry Croft.

“It’s awesome,” Sheriff Croft said of Guntry. “It’s going to be a great training opportunity, and a great opportunity for the county.

“We intend to do some of our training here. They have simulator rooms we can use. We’re still in the planning, but we’re going to use the facility as much as we can.”

He noted “the location is great,” and that Guntry would complement the nearby Highlands Sports Complex and Cabela’s very well.

“It’s a lot better than shooting in the fields or the woods like we used to,” Harry Croft added. “It’s a beautiful facility.

“When Nelson was little we used to come up here and hunt. To see this development, it’s a little bit unbelievable,” he said.

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