TOMS RIVER – Shooting guns and serving drinks are both in the works for the future Ocean County Sports Complex in Toms River, albeit with strict safety protocols in place. As previously reported by the Toms River Times and Jersey Shore Online, approved plans situate the indoor shooting range in its own standalone building separate from the restaurant and entertainment portions of the complex.
Construction on the nearly $20 million redevelopment is already underway, and project representatives emphasized extensive safeguards would prevent anyone appearing impaired from stepping onto the range floor.
Those details emerged during an interview with developer Michael J. Wright and his attorney, Robert “Bob” Shea, as public discussion surrounding the project intensified following questions raised by Toms River attorney Mark Mutter, who once served as the town’s mayor and clerk. Mutter cautioned against the safety issues of the indoor range operating alongside other portions of the complex.
According to Shea, the liquor license associated with the restaurant and lounge portions of the project would not apply to the shooting range building itself. He said the range would function as a separate operation with its own entrances, oversight and management.
The redevelopment project of the former Baiamonte’s property on Hooper Avenue and Fischer Boulevard is designed to transform the long-vacant site into a large-scale sports and entertainment destination featuring golf facilities, virtual golf simulators, restaurant and lounge space, pickleball courts, batting cages and the indoor shooting range.
Wright said the larger vision behind the Ocean County Sports Complex is to create the kind of all-day entertainment destination he believes is currently missing in the area.
“We have a lot of restaurants, but we really don’t have entertainment,” Wright said. “At least here, you can spend a half a day. You can hit golf balls, play shuffleboard, go to the batting cages, have dinner, or spend time with your family. That’s what we’re trying to create.”
The multi-phase redevelopment would include a renovated golf driving range with approximately 24 lower-level stalls, virtual golf simulators, restaurant and lounge space, pickleball courts, batting cages and the indoor shooting range. Wright and Shea said various portions of the property are expected to operate independently, potentially under separate LLCs and management teams.
Extensive Safety Measures Planned
The public concern surrounding the proposed indoor range has centered on safety procedures and operational safeguards. Wright said the project team expects the range to become one of the most heavily regulated portions of the entire complex.
Plans currently call for approximately 10 to 11 rifle lanes and another 18 pistol lanes, although Wright said the final layout could still change because he wants customers to have adequate space inside the shooting booths.
“I don’t want people on top of each other,” Wright said. “I want it comfortable and safe.”
Unlike outdoor shooting areas, the range would remain fully enclosed with reinforced walls, specialized ventilation systems and air filtration equipment designed to meet strict OSHA, ATF and state police standards. Shea said the project cannot move forward until those inspections and approvals are completed.
“You have to go through a course internally before you can even go into the range,” Shea said. “They show you how to handle a weapon safely.”
According to Wright, retired law enforcement officers, military veterans and trained range safety personnel would oversee operations and monitor customers for signs of unsafe behavior or impairment.
“If somebody’s impaired, they’re not going to let you shoot,” Wright said. “That could be alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs or anything else that makes somebody impaired.”
The policy would apply whether a person had consumed alcohol within the complex or elsewhere before arriving or appeared impaired for any other reason. Rangers would use their discretion and experience to turn potential shooters away on an individual basis.
“If you’re impaired or under the influence, you’re not shooting in this facility,” Wright said. “It’s that simple.”
The developer said that the transfer of Shooters in Little Egg Harbor to Ocean County Law Enforcement created a void for those seeking to shoot their guns in a more controlled environment. He argued that supervised indoor ranges offer a far safer space for people practicing informally outdoors without oversight.
“When you shoot outside in the woods, you don’t have gun rangers overseeing things,” Wright said. “A bullet can travel one to two miles. This is a controlled environment.”
Gun rangers will additionally be available for individuals who appear to be struggling with the use of their guns and help them to use them properly. “Sometimes guns jam and people get nervous,” said Wright, by way of example.
The facility is also expected to include firearm storage lockers within a secured maintenance building for gun owners who may not want firearms stored inside their homes.
Construction Moving Forward In Phases
Wright said redevelopment work on the property will continue in phases over the next year. The first portion expected to open would include the golf facilities and maintenance operations, potentially by late summer or early fall.
“We’re trying to get the range going first,” Wright said, referring to the golf driving range and entertainment portions currently under construction.
The upper level of the golf structure is planned as an enclosed entertainment area featuring virtual golf simulators, lounge seating, pool tables, shuffleboard and potentially live entertainment such as a piano bar. Wright said township officials had previously expressed concerns about golf balls potentially clearing upper-level netting toward Hooper Avenue, leading to plans to convert the second floor into indoor entertainment space rather than active driving stalls.
Additional phases involving pickleball courts, batting cages and the shooting range are anticipated sometime next year. Overall, the redevelopment could eventually create more than 100 jobs.
“The property had been neglected for a long time,” Wright said. “I wanted to turn it into something positive for the community and create a place families could actually enjoy spending time.”
According to Shea, the approval process for the development has been underway since 2024 and involved township zoning officials, engineers, county agencies and planning board reviews before construction began.
He said the project complies with zoning requirements because sports and recreational uses are already permitted on the property. Notices regarding the application were also sent to nearby property owners as required under state land use law.
Beyond The Development Project
Those familiar with Wright say the redevelopment reflects a broader pattern of community involvement extending beyond commercial construction projects. Shea described Wright as one of the nation’s leading private framing contractors.
Wright has also worked closely with the Ocean County Vocational Technical School system by donating lumber and construction materials while also sending workers to help students learn framing and construction skills during student-built housing projects connected to Habitat for Humanity efforts.
The developer also helped construct Larry’s Home in Little Egg Harbor, a Just Believe-operated housing project designed to support veterans experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
In addition, Wright and his wife operate the Wright Ranch in Florida, where they rescue and care for horses saved from kill pens.
“We just do it,” Wright said of the rescue work. “We take care of the horses.”
For Wright, the overall vision for the Ocean County Sports Complex remains focused on creating a place where families can gather, spend time together and enjoy activities that currently require many residents to travel outside the area.
“The whole thing is going to be family-oriented,” Wright said. “That’s what we’re looking for.”
