GILBERT, AZ — The area near San Tan Village in the East Valley has quickly become a mecca for family fun.
Within the last five years, attractions such as Main Event and Topgolf have opened near the Loop 202 and Ray Road in Gilbert.
And now a new destination is fired up to get underway, but this one comes with some concerns.
The discussion centers on Gun Club 82, an indoor shooting range under construction between Main Event and Topgolf that mixes new technology, firearms, food, alcohol and families.
It will also have a snazzy rooftop bar, a restaurant, and 24 shooting lanes where people will be able to fire live rounds.
"As long as they're responsible enough to control the environment then I don't have any issue with that," said Brian Mchale, a father and resident of Gilbert.
Gun Club 82 will also offer what it calls "fifth dimension technology" that will allow people to shoot firearms without live rounds. Instead, those guns will have lasers and people will be able to shoot at animated targets on a video screen.
The goal is to create a family-friendly environment.
While the venue may raise eyebrows for some, others we spoke to on Tuesday afternoon said they were all for the new attraction.
"It means people would be coming in here with guns and you just maybe worry about that a little bit," said Nate Mcavoy, a Gilbert resident. "But it doesn't bother me. I figure people who are going to a gun range are going so they can be safe."
Betty Ray, a mother, said, "I think this is a location for entertainment. Lots of people might want to bring their kids to shoot too. It also teaches them gun safety."
The shooting range will offer gun safety classes and tactical education for local officers.
Then there is the alcohol and the question of whether the facility should serve it in the first place.
"I would preferably not have any alcohol," said Ray.
But the owners of the facility tell ABC15 that there will be zero tolerance when it comes to mixing the two.
Each person will be required to carry his or her driver license, which is swiped each time they purchase a drink or go into the shooting range. If someone buys a drink, his driver license will be denied at the live shooting range for 24 hours, the owners told us. No exceptions.
McHale, a father who lives in Gilbert, liked that idea.
"I think that's a great idea. That way you're not impaired or intoxicated and firing off a firearm at the same time," he said.
The facility has been under construction for months and hopes to open sometime this fall.
