Give Illinois a break!

Trap shooter Tom goes to a huge trap shoot in his $300,000 motorhome. He is considered a pro to many but not Tom. Tom likes guns. He has two K80's worth $50K between the 2. He has a cheap back up gun.

The governor of Illinois has to decide whether to cut 4-H programs, drug rehab programs and retirement funds or should he close Tom's hobby park.

The governor decides the millionaire Tom the trap shooter doesn't need the tax dollars.

 

Tough place to be governor.

 

Someone thinks the facility is not breaking even. Not sure abut that. Explains why they did not hire a director.

 

When Sparta was in the pre-construction days it was quoted by the Illinois Governor of the day that it would be a money maker for the State, create over 500 jobs for area people plus be an area economy booster. A lot of people had a laugh over this, as the State has not had any parks, recreational areas or trailer facilities be a money maker for the State. Recreational facilities of this kind are one of the first cuts when State funds become depleated. Even when this facility was built the State of Illinois was not in a very good financial position.

Could the State of Illinois have been sold a bill of goods by the ATA officials of the day that based on the ATA present/future attendance/participation the Sparta facilities would show a profit within a few years?

 

The State of Illinois was sold a "Bill of Good's by the ATA when they(ATA) used numbers like 100,000 visitors and or shooters would attend the events ... The Illinois State Government saw a lot of easy money based on the numbers they were given ... They came to Vandalia which always looked like it was over crowded and got impressed all to hell ... If anyone would of been thinking straight they would of made the ATA sign a contract for X number of shooters/attendees or they pay the difference ... They all talked about a 50 million dollar facility which to this day has not had that much invested in it, but who's counting ..? The state web site has many numbers so depending on which ones you use they have invested someplace between 27 and 35 million to date ... The 50 million was stated as the 10 year completetion plan, so there should be a bunch of improvement for people to see this year ... The Martins donated the money for the Hall of Fame or at least the majority of it so thats a push ... No one took into account the attendance falling off because of the move and the way it got shoved down the members throats by the EC and many of the BOD at the time ... Build it and they will come, who is the they, they were talking about ..? The Grand American and the ATA are dead in the water, plain and simple ... No body wants to hear that and even less want to believe that ... The shooters that were going to be lost were going to be made up for by the shooters from the State of Illinois itself, that never happened if they had not noticed ... The majority of shooters from the immediate area shoot a few shoots at the WSRC or in the genersl area and seldom venture out beyond that ... Talk about a PINK ELEPHANT and Rose colored glasses ... Those that voted for it and or were told to vote in favor of it should all have a place in the Hall of Fame, refered to as the " Wall Hall of Shame" so none of them are ever forgotten ... They know who they are and not one of them can use the word "Integrity" in a complete sentence ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

It is easy to say now........but there are a few on this forum that were bounced off another forum several times for uttering any of the sayings above.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for a few good men to do nothing

 

Another forum?

The " Sparta Only" forum?

Flyersarebest

 

Closing it now may be the right thing but Blagojevich bought votes with money that obviously should have gone to funding pensions, 4-H, schools, emergency departments etc.

 

They could remodel it into a Prison, and confine the previous Governor there,Blageovich, he would feel more at home there.
Use inmates to keep the grounds up. And use them as Greens Keepers on Golf Course. Use the EC and BOD to create jobs for them. House the EC and BOD there so they will be in close contact, and locate the 8 missing traps. NW to complete a set of Graphs as to the traps location.
Gary Bryant Dr.longshot

 

Gary, (Dr. L S)
I got a feeling you never run out of ideas ... But you might of hit on something with those suggestions ... I hope the ATA can remove the machines they have on the site before the State sells them back to them to try and off set their losses ... Short sightedness and desparation can only spell one thing "Disaster", ... The Members can all feel warm and fuzzy knowing the EC and BOD have a handle on it ... It truly is a shame, time will tell all ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

The Martins did what they could to try and make it prosper, it didn't work and cost them a small fortune ... I have serious doubts that they would invest in something of this nature based on the past performances of it ... The club in Vernal , Utah is a Gold Mine compared to the WSRC and the Martins are big time supporters of it and Tucson's club ... Those two clubs have proven to be winners thanks to the Martins generousity, what more can anyone say ..? WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

To the best of my knowledge the Martins were taken advantage of by the ATA.

The Martins love trapshooting, and gave their best support to the ATA, It is a rumor that the ATA did not payout the Martins money per their directions. The ATA used the Martins money and distributed it their way.

I feel the Martins were taken advantage of, in millions of ways.$

Gb DLS

 

The problem with the ... " Sparta Only" forum ... is most of them NEVER went to Sparta, and never would. Most only supported the WSC/Sparta and the ATA in cyber-land with their mouth/keyboard.

They fail to look in the mirror and see that others do not go for the same reasons they do not.

I have been there .... great place to shoot ... horrible place to spend a few days.

 

So Illinois was told they would be making a profit. Not happening. Shoots would be huge. Never happened. It would be like Ohio. Never happened.

Don't blame Illinois.

 

I fail to see where anyone if pointing the finger at the State of Illinois, if they have to make a move for financial reasons thats just the way it has to be ... The Elected Officials are in debted to the voters and tax payers in the State (illinois) not some or any shooting organization and its members ... The economy is not better no matter what Obama is saying and its a long way from getting as bad as it probably will before its all over ... WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Illinois? why do you think Lincoln left

 

In Illinois the IDNR & Natural resources were combined with I believe Oil and Mines division, including Fracking.
That was printed in the Sourhern Illinoisan article of Governor Rauney shuttering the WRSC in article by Sports Outdoor Editor Les Winkeler. That is where funding is complicated.

It also stated it will take years for the IDNR to make a comeback, if at all.

Gary Bryant Dr.longshot