The fight to save the Sportsland Shooting Range in Dededo is far from over. 

Owner John Sablan is fighting for the range, saying, “There's been a lot of government resistance with renewing our business license.”

He was forced by GovGuam to close his doors a year back. 

Today, the fences are up and the reason why his license was revoked last summer included noise complaints among others. 

“We need to reopen this range. This island needs this range,” said retired Air Force veteran Colonel Frank Flores.

For Flores, the former gun range is a special place filled with memories. 

“It’s not just a business. It’s not just a place to shoot. It always makes me feel closer to my dad when I'm here,” Flores said. 

Four generations of the Flores family have learned to shoot on the land the range sits on today. 

“My grandfather taught my dad how to shoot here, my dad taught me how to shoot here and I taught my son how to shoot here,” he added. 

It's also where he found peace after his dad passed away and is why he’s joining the fight to save the range, with plans to dedicate the re-opening to his late dad. 

“My dad is Sergeant First Class Francisco Flores. He’s a Vietnam veteran. He served and fought at the Battle of Dak to and in that battle, the unit fought so gallantly  they were awarded the presidential unit citation,” he added. 

Sablan’s late brother Tom Sablan was also Sportsland’s first range safety officer. 

“Many customers who came to shoot at this range know Tom because Tom would take the time to teach everyone how to shoot. He never made anyone feel stupid. He always made sure everyone was safe and he always made everyone feel like family here,” Flores said. 

He added re-opening the range is a matter of safety. 

“This place is special not only to me but veterans, law enforcement officers and competitive shooters. So many people are trying to protect themselves,” he said.

Since the island’s only outdoor gun range closed down, Flores adds that, “People are shooting all over the place. It’s creating fear at the hiking trails, in the jungles and off the cliffs. We need to reopen this range. This island needs this range. And I’m going to fight to open it back up.”