Shooting Event Eyeing Crossville As Host

Crossville City Council will consider a five-year lease agreement that would bring a large sports shooting event to the community next year.

Gamaliel Cup Organizer Geoff Pare approached the city about hosting a large four-day shooting event. Pear said when the event was held in Georgia, a lot of their participants from Tennessee and Kentucky did not come.

“We made the decision this year that after we talked to them that was our home and we want to be there,” Pare said. “That being said in order to get to 500 shooters again or more we need a little more space. It’s just a different event called FITASC Shotgun and that area there would be perfect.”

Pare said the 23-acre property on the landfill adjacent to the Crossville Shooting Sports Complex would be the perfect site. Pare said he would pay roughly around $10,000 to prepare the property for the first event that he plans to host in April. Pare said the event would bring a positive economic impact to local businesses in the community.

“We were at Griffen, GA and we had I think it was 350 entrants total, and the total economic impact we figured there was about $350,000,” Par said.  “Not counting what they spend at the club and for the shoot.”

Pare said many people would be coming to Crossville as about 1,400 people on average attend the event. Pare said part of the lease would allow the Crossville shooting sports complex to expand its capabilities.

“They would allow the Crossville to grow if they wanted to bid a larger shoot,” Pare said. “You know, cause most of these, it’s like everything there are a few somewhere every weekend. So we all have to bid and put a date in and try to get that shoot.”

Pare said he already has a certificate of insurance which would be needed to host a shooting event. The council approved adding the lease proposal to the agenda for the next council meeting on Tuesday.