Vendors unhappy with the fairness of Illinois! Can Gipson help? Illinois wins?

On December 12, my pals predicted the vendor “deck would be shuffled” at Sparta.

Vendors were getting together and planning to pull bids. That means keeping the bids low. Kinda like having a gentleman’s agreement not to run the other man’s price up. That works when you only have gentleman at the table.

Gentlemen aren’t always gentle when it comes to business.

It goes like this - - vendor “A” feels ripped off by Illinois. He tells ten other vendors he isn’t going to bid more than half. “Don’t tell anyone. This way we can all keep our buildings.”

Then some other guy thinks “hmmm I like that (A) spot.”

The deck got shuffled and some found the fix wasn’t in!

My big question is why would vendors complain to Gipson? Was the fix in before? What is his interest? Does he have a business there? Is that a conflict?

Some post auction discussions haven’t gone so well!

Is Illinois doing it right?

Thanks to you guys/gal in the trenches.

Lots of questions.

I report. You decide.
merlo out.

 

Merlo,

Serious question: do you think anybody here really cares what happens at a place like Sparta?

 

I have it from a good source that this forum’s admin put in a bid.

 

This ain't Presidential Politics and it damned sure ain't a matter of National Security. Name your source, or it never happened.

 

PLEASE GOD LET THIS BE TRUE! You just made my day, hell, maybe my week. I so hope they get it. I can assist with some "left over" furniture for the new store. I've got a great kitchen table and chairs. Yes, Yes, Yes. I am so excited. Truly though, I doubt any admin here would want to give the state of Illinois any money, let alone go through the motions of becoming a state vendor and filling out all the required paperwork.

 

I care, nobody cares that I care but, I'm probably one of less than a handful that care and are active not "lurkers".

 

Not even a handful.......

 

Dear user Brad M

Are you sure you want this admin documenting the shoot? This is the admin that caught the ATA doubling the attendance. Do you remember that embarrassing retraction? 3,200 turned into 6,400

I found a few photos from merlo’s visit in the archives.






We could use the dead bugs that gather in the water fountain to go carp fishing in one of the lakes.

I am sure Family Guy could take lots of pictures. How many cots can you put in a building?

Whatever the reason you might wonder if or which vendor will be displaced.

 

Bugs or not the place is better than Linn Creek. I would drop by the building. Who will be displaced. Got deep pockets? Sparta rocks!

 

Yes, yes, yes I do, I would even give them a VIP tour. It would be nice to put screen names to faces and real names... I remember those photos well. 4 or 3 years ago I think. I would love to have all of you folks over. Shoot a round or two while your here taking photos and maybe put your names a little more legible in the hall of fame guest book so who know who you are. They don’t have to sneak around, me and my staff are friendly and hard working... Won’t have those 2 problems at the Grand in Sparta this year, my crew knows better. I would think the admin who may of bid wouldn’t want to “tango” with big (or small) vendor just to prove a point. That would be a crappy move on there part. But then again who really cares about Sparta on this site, right?

 

In response to an above poster. I took pictures other than just bugs in the water fountains. And I also heard admin here was looking into putting in a bid.
https://www.americantrapshooter.com/index.php?threads/other-stuff-i-saw-at-sparta-pictures.5237/

I report. You decide.
merlo out.

 

"But then again who really cares about Sparta on this site, right?"

Maybe you and Merlo, but nobody else. Of course, I'd probably "care" too, if the unemployment rate was at 7.60% and I was on the verge of getting canned. You guys in Illinois are "livin' the dream," Oui'?

 

Thanks for the clarification. I thought it was during the Grand, actually it was the US Open, those white flyer tents are a pain to set up when the ground is hard as a rock. If I remember correctly we had a bad storm Friday or Saturday that knocked some tents down. Stop by during the Grand this year, if you make it over, I hear it’s going to be bigger attendance than 2019... I really do mean it when I say I’ll give anyone a guided tour, except for the Phantom...

 

we’re up to two... getting closer to that handful... I’ve got several businesses that I own to fall back on. No worries here. Parlay Vu français?

 

I hope one of your businesses is heavy equipment. Bulldozing that shit hole would be a pretty good contract....of course you'll probably never get paid...................make sure you get at least half up front.

 

Language, Language, Language. That’s not a nice word, and profanity is a violation of forum rules... I’m not in the heavy equipment business.

 

But to get back to the TOPIC of the vendors, What I have heard is that there have been several calls lasting 3 hours or so between Gibson and Vendors about the bids (some vendors bidding on other vendor's buildings after the gentlemen's agreement) that have resulted in shouting and name calling. I'm not clear if this is directed at the Vendors by Gibson, at Gibson by the Vendors, or by the Vendors at each other. or what I was told by everyone at everyone. Boy I wish I was on that call.

One detail that my informant was a little sketchy on was if the STATE of Illinois was on the call too. Once they said they were and once they wasn't sure. Maybe Merlo can track that last fact down, or maybe Brad M knows. I don't know why or What Gibson was on the call for, as a Vendor or the ED. A little bit of conflict at any case I'd say. If he was in on the Bid Rigging between the Vendor's maybe that is what the yelling is about.

 

Brad D,
To my knowledge, I have not heard of any current vendor who has bid on another vendors spot. I did hear that if a certain vendor was not going to bid, there was another vendor interested in that spot. Current vendor bid, other vendor went a different route. I don’t know about the calls, but I do know there is a lot of paperwork involved that I’m sure is confusing and challenging.

 

Brad M I got my info from my contacts from my years working for Beretta, I still have a few friends in the vendor world. I'm not going to tell who told me but I am very confident in the info and they said go ahead and put it on the web. I was told that i 3 or 4 vendors had broken the gentlemen's agreements and bid on others' buildings. It wasn't clear from my conversation who was doing the most yelling, I was told that each call ended in a shouting match.

 

Wow!!! Big statement alleging law breaking!!!

You just alledged that the vendors have colluded to not bid against each other. You have implied they have communicated that to you. You have implied you would know if another vendor was interested.

You have stated in a paragraph that the Bid Buy process may be a sham.

My conclusion- You are a creepy liar. Or the Bid Buy process is no more honest than the previous process. Vendors may be conspiring to pull bids in an auction. Check your state law on that!

So tell us your position. Liar in Chief? Do you actually have a job? I smell bullshit!

 

I have had dealings with many of the Vendors over the years, they should be treated with integrity and dealt with honestly because without vendors shoots do not get a big turn out ... The Facility (WSRC) might just be the creme de la crem (?) of shooting facility's but they cannot draw a crowd probably based on location and the additional cost involved with driving to and from places people stay on a daily basis ... Brad talks about changes when in fact the only change that will help is a change of location away from the middle of no place ... The WSRC has established the Pathetic amount of attendees who will turn out if it stays in the same location over the past 15 + years ... This is not a reflection on those employed to operate the facility, it is a direct result of the location of said facility and the lack of amenities in and around the general area ... The Vendors would be far better off to schedule alternative shoots that are and have been successful that draw bigger crowds ... Wish them well but the time has come to move on ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

I did not allege anything, I hear a lot of things from shooters who apparently know a fair amount of the vendors. I said "heard" not that I "know". I just a lowly "person in the trenches" here to stir the pot. It would appear that yo have no clue how the process even works, I encourage you to visit bid buy and have a look for yourself, there's a lot of information on there that is public.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence as always!

 

Say, are there any heavy equipment contractors in the Sparta area now? Asking for a friend.

 

There are several. Also some moving companies.

 

Just consider the source.

 

Lynn Gipson Absolutely cannot be involved in vendor building leases, It is conflict of interest, He also cannot be on any board decisions on Vendor Buildings, also a conflict of interest, he must recuse himself. ATA being an Incorporation there are strict guidelines, he cannot be on any vendor decisions. Read rules of Corp. Business.

GB.............................................DLS.

 

Those dealers of last year must receive free rental the following year + interest, for circumstances beyond their control, the ATA should have given all vendors refunds, did they give refunds?. Rules of 501(c3) have strict guidelines on their corp. laws.

GB........................................DLS

 

Nothing of what you said in this statement makes any sense at all. How is the state of Illinois who owns the shooting complex a 501(c3).

 

The ATA is and has been a 501(c3) for many years ... Seriously doubt the State of Illinois would qualify even with the financial woes they are faced with ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Thank you for trying.

When we were boys, Mom taught us an old adage, "When ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." I have a sneaking suspicion the adage may be useful now.

 

Doc, do the vendors pay the ata or the state of IL. and or the WSRC?

 

Doc, does the ATA own WSRC?

 

I understand the ATA is a 501 but the dr.'s statement made no sense, the ATA has nothing to do with who gets building leases and gives refunds.

 

Be careful, Brad. Go easy on 'em. We'll have some SplodeyHead problems around here soon if you keep that up.