A coalition of Hawaii’s visitor industry leaders have asked Gov. Neil Abercrombie to move a planned state public shooting range that they say is in close proximity to the resorts, condos and time shares of Hawaii island’s Kohala Coast.

The coalition, which includes nearly 30 companies ranging from lodging owners and operators to activity providers, trade associations and labor unions, sent Abercrombie a letter March 19 opposing the range’s proposed location, which occupies one square mile of the Puu Anahulu Game Management Area, adjacent to the Puu Anahulu Landfill and mauka of Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

Jerry Gibson, area vice president for Hilton Worldwide, said coalition members are not opposed to the range itself, but they fear that its planned location would subject the community to the sound of gunshots and the threat of stray bullets. On any given day, Gibson said some 10,000 people are living, working, visiting or driving near the proposed range.

"We look at the shooting range as being good for training for safety officers and hunters and a good activity for people on the island that want to go. But in its current location, we are concerned for the safety and tranquility of the people that live there and stay there," Gibson said.

This is the latest slowdown for the shooting range, which is only the second such public facility to be planned in the state since Koko Head Shooting Complex was developed.

The planned range, which falls under the purview of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, would be substantially larger than the Koko Head facility. It would cater to public safety professionals as well as the growing community of gun enthusiasts in Hawaii and the nation, said Richard Hoeflinger, president of the nonprofit On Target Inc., which favors range construction.

"We don’t have a public range, and we need one. There’s been a proliferation of firearms in Hawaii County. In 2012 residents imported as many as 5,272 guns, which represented a 76 percent increase over the prior year,"Hoeflinger said."Target shooting also has become the fastest-growing U.S. sport with over $28 billion in economic impact."

Hoeflinger said he and other Hawaii island shooters have been waiting about two decades for the proposed facility, which would includepistol, rifle, bow, hunting/archery, sporting clays, skeet, trap and airgun ranges. Supporting facilities also would provide for operations, a hunter education center, restrooms, picnic areas and parking.

"Site selection began in the 1990s. The range was included in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ land management plan in 2003," he said.

Range organizers ruled out Stainback Highway, Hamakua State Land, Hilo Trap & Skeet Range, Pohakuloa Training Area and Puu Waa Waa Quarry before settling on the Puu Anahulu site in 2005, Hoeflinger said.

The project’s environmental assesment was expected to be completed at the end of last year, but DLNR stopped the process in January to allow proponents to work out neighborhood noise concerns.

"We’re continuing with sound testing and plan to hold more public hearings before anything moves forward," said Dan Dennison, DLNR’s education and outreach coordinator.

Dennison said DLNR Director William Aila Jr. was not readily available to address the coalition’s site concerns. But Hoeflinger expressed frustration that they were not previously raised.

"There were two public meetings held last year in Kona by the project contractor. They were very well attended, and not a single site objection was voiced in any of the meetings," he said. "I don’t know where all of these naysayers were. It’s very disconcerting to have all of this stuff coming out of the woodwork at the eleventh hour."

Hoeflinger said that changing the range’s location so late in the game could be costly. To date, some $3.25 million in state funds has been appropriated for construction of the project, and a portion of an annual $300,000 federal hunter education fund also has been designated, Hoeflinger said.

"It’s not unreasonable to say that the state has about a million dollars sunk into this project if you include the cost of the original planning contract, which has been bumped up a few times, and the value of all of the volunteer fieldwork," he added. "If it doesn’t happen where it was planned, I don’t know where you would put it. I personally think you wouldn’t find enough volunteers to start again."

Gibson said he and some of the other coalition members just became aware of the planned site. He added that safety concerns trump other arguments.

"They’ve been very forthright with information and how long that they’ve been working on this, but if there is a chance of someone getting hurt, this is not the right place," Gibson said. "As the crow flies, Kings’ Shops is only about a mile from the site. Long-range rifles and projectiles can go over 1.5 miles."

Gibson said the coalition is mindful of past difficulties at the public Koko Head Shooting Complex, which just reopened its rifle range after complaints about stray bullets necessitated about $90,000 in improvements to its protective berm.

"I would think Koko Head is about the same distance from the community," Gibson said. "The only way to mitigate this would be to move the range up the mountain four or five miles or to another location."

Hoeflinger said the Puu Anahulu site is inside a state-controlled hunting area, so trail users would not be present like they are in Koko Head.

"This is very unfortunate because we have been transparent on everything. This is being planned by all NRA (National Rifle Association) standards. That’s the gold standard for a shooting facility," he said. "I don’t want to see a fight that involves the hotels’ money versus the desires of local residents. We’ll do the best that we can to try and accommodate the desires of the resort community but still provide a much-needed facility."