LYNCHBURG, Va. – The shooting club and the announcement of Liberty University's new gun range are reasons why freshmen James Bushnell came to campus.
"I've been all over the U.S. I've shot at a lot of different ranges, national shooting complexes. We just got back from Texas. The view and the community you have up here, just in the team itself, let alone Liberty, is wonderful. There's nothing like it,” Bushnell said.
Brad Butler, the planning coordinator for the university's construction department, says the $3 million gun range allows pistol and rifle shooters to come out and perfect their aim.
"And we've already entertained different request from large organizations that want to hold their national, regional competitions here,” Butler said.
University officials say students have been asking for a gun range for a while and have had 3,000 students go through their free firearms training safety program, which they say tells them there is in interest.
"But beyond that. President Falwell's commitment to the Second Amendment I think is very profound. He's not just saying it in words or saying it in terms of the political activism. He's putting his money where his mouth is. And he's making a major investment to something really special here on Liberty's campus,” Butler said.
Liberty hopes to open the range to the public in six to eight weeks and is still finalizing prices.