Los Paloma Sporting Range has taken off with local outdoor enthusiasts
Nestled in the woods of central Bossier Parish is a picturesque destination that can only be found by traveling through the winding roads of northwest Louisiana’s hill country.
The Los Paloma Sporting Range & Event Center was created through the collective vision of Owner/President Max Sharp and Vice President/Director of Operations Ross Adams, who opened the unique entertainment complex in the fall of 2011. Their visionary presence of ‘rustic elegance meets hill country’ is immediately felt upon arriving on the 100-acre property.
At the center of the property is a 9,000 square foot multi-purpose event center is the banquet room that accommodates seating for 350 people. Around the property is a 20 station of sporting clay and skeet shooting range, which Adams dubbed simply as “golf with a shotgun.”
The sporting range is spread out over 80 acres in a course, designed by Promatic, that can be set up to shoot rounds of 50 or 100 targets. There is also a bow tower shooting stations set at 15 and 25 feet with targets set up for shooting at a range of 15 to 75 yards.
Adams said the north Louisiana community has utilized the shooting venue for a variety of activities, including holiday parties, tournaments, fundraisers, club meetings and sports themed parties.
“We have the capability and flexibility of changing the targets to present a new scenario at each station,” he said. “We can have it set up differently each week.”
However, the multi-purpose event center has proven to be the property’s centerpiece. The structure and interior design of building was inspired by a venue in Dripping Springs, TX.
The Austin-area ranch gave Sharp and Adams the idea to take items from the past, like recycled tin from a chicken coup and true antiques that weren’t purchased from a chain store, and incorporate it into a design that would create a mood and feel for anyones special day.
“We want to stir memories while creating new ones,” Adams said.
If there’s one thing they’ve learned since opening two years ago is that their venue has become a popular wedding destination for couples around north Louisiana. Los Paloma averages 25 weddings a year and is booked up months in advance.
“We’ve had more interest in weddings than we ever anticipated,” Adams said. “I don’t think you could have two businesses that are as different and completely opposite as these two.”
Along with weddings, Los Paloma hosts everything from high school proms and debutante balls to private concerts, banquets, reunions and just “a little bit of everything.” Venue amenities include an elevated stage with lighting and public address system, a lounge area with wet bar and fridge, a surround sound system and a 160″ rear projection screen system, and an outdoor cooking and patio area. Two covered outdoor pavilions and a five-acre pond complete the venue landscape.
The Los Paloma Sporting Range is open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday from noon until dark. Whether you are an avid clay or skeet sportsman, planning a wedding reception, or trying to raise money for an organization, Adams said they will help groups explore their hidden treasure to find the look they want.
“Expect the unexpected,” Adams said. “You won’t find anything else like it and it’s right here in your own backyard. You really have to see it to believe something like this is available right here in our own backyards.”
Los Paloma Sporting Range and Event Center, located at 900 Seven Pines Rd. in Benton, is available for sporting and a variety of private events year-round. For more information on the venue or to book an event, contact Ross Adams at (318) 465-7507 or visit their website at www.lospaloma.com
