Grand American Rumor

I've heard that next year that the Grand will be held in multiple places around the country during the same week. They will then put the scores in a computer. Thus making it one shoot but shot in different places. So you could be shooting off against someone in a different state. I really hope this is false because if this goes through then it just shows how desperate the ATA is. I heard this from someone who is pretty high up in the ATA.

 

That's a shame. You'll have people traveling to high air and dry climate attempting to win the erstwhile "Grand."

 

So who did you hear that from. I think that would be a last resort. I don't think we are there yet.

 

I can see them doing it. It could work but it would take a huge effort on a lot of different people's part. And the turnout could be huge. They could do it at each states homegrounds.

 

From what I've been told the politicians want two things, no more money going into the WSC and enough money coming out each year to pay the bond obligations that were sold to fund the WSC. I guess the ATA and others are working on plans to get there

 

Yep ..... they are going to input the latitude and longitude wind temp ect.... and put it in a computer to figure out the winner..I think it's a new computer program that will on your I phone which is where you will post your score and you will get a text at the end of the day if you won....... I think the only hold up is they are making sure that it's not going to be moved to Ohio.

 

I don't think this will be fair because of different weather conditions .

 

Right now I would suggest that we all hold our breath and not start any rumors. There should be some concrete news during or right after the Grand which is only weeks away.

 

I woudln't hold my breath. The "shuttering" date is supposed to be Sept. 1st. The ATA gets the grand in and that gives "them", the ATA and the politicians, almost a year to come up with some plan to keep it or close it.

In a politicians world that is not very long when running for election or re-election. For the ATA that would be like a reprieve from death row. They get another year to say things like "we are working on a solution".

Flyersarebest

 

Not so sure about that...

With leases ending for campers and vendors the temporary shuttering would be more like a poorly tied hangman's loose. No one will invest long term. This is a hole they have dug for themselves. A very deeeep hole.

 

"no more money going into the WSC and enough money coming out each year to pay the bond obligations that were sold to fund the WSC" ....

Sounds like a plan ... all they need to do is figure-out where this 'new money' is going to come from ... looks like it would be hard to take the current attendance/participation and fill that kind of gap ...

Why pay the mortgage if you are not the title holder ?????

 

According to Barry R the new plans include much more than just shooting. It will be interesting to see what the're working on. Baseball fields, soccer, football, a couple bowling alleys, hot rod shows and etc. the large population in the area will jump right in. In reality I don't know what they are looking at to bring people to the area all the associations using it now are headed in the wrong direction. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

I read that comment, Seitz. It looks very desperate. If the ATA bombed the cash flow for the facility 10 years ago, upon what basis can they say that any of the proposed "throw the spaghetti against the wall" alternative uses are going to make the place cash rich? Especially when the plans are last-minute, thrown-together in a desperation long pass to bail out their facility.

I suspect the plan is to get as many folks using the grounds as possible so that the ATA can hold the facility hostage. "Either give us the Grand, or the Little Leaguers are out in the cold."

"Baseball fields, soccer, football, a couple bowling alleys, hot rod shows"

There are already abundant places down there for this. If you're going to hold a car show, the DuQuoin Fairgrounds seems like a much better place.

 

I just got curious and looked it up. The Street Machine Nationals already uses the DuQuoin Fairgrounds.

http://www.streetmachinenationals.net/street-machine-nationals-returns-du-quoin-3rd-year

 

Articles from the following, The County Journal and Sparta Journal July 16, 2015.

Headline:

Governor tells IDNR chief not to meet with local reps

Matters dealing with the World Shooting and Recreational Complex were discussed at Monday night's Sparta City Council meeting.

Commissioner Gary Stephens said he was very disappointed after a meeting he and Mayor Jason Schlimme had with Representative Jerry Costello and the county commissioners bout the shooting complex.

Governor Bruce Rauner has threatened to close it in September as part of his budget battle with Democrats in Springfield.

Stephens said the local group wanted to meet with IDNR director Wayne Rosenthal to discuss keeping the shooting complex operation and getting it to prosper.

"I received a letter from Representative Costello about this," sais Stephens.

He said the letter stated that Rosenthal was advised by the governor's office not to meet with the Randolph County group. Stephens said he did not understand what good it would do the governor to not allow Rosenthal to meet with local people.

The IDNR website quotes Rosenthal as stating the he want to improve customer service and communication with IDNR constituents and promote state parks to attract more visitors.

Sheryl Blum, representing the chamber of commerce, noted the SCTP Nationals brought in about 5,000 people. The AIM shoot and the Grand all start the beginning of August.

She asked if the city and the chamber could work together to put up welcome signs for the big shoots.

In one other shooting complex matter, the council approved an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement dated September 2004 between the city and Randolph County about paying on some bonds for water and sewer lines to the complex.

The agreement called for the county to pay $100,000 a year for 10 years toward the bond payments, but the county has been paying only $50,000 a year.

The amendment calls for the county to continue paying $50,000 a year, but the payment will now run until the end of the note. That means the county will pay an additional $200,000 over the life of the bonds or a total of $1.2 million.

In 2017, the one-quarter cent sales tax collected at the complex that goes to the county was to go to the city. However, that money will continue to go to the county, under the new agreement.

There was other action Monday night...

========================================================

Also in the County Journal.

Headline

Bost says private firm interested in complex

A shadow remains over the World Shooting and Recreational Complex-with the Grand American less than three weeks away.

In a continuing budget battle with Democrats, Governor Bruce Rauner says he will close the complex in Sptermber.

The site has come under fire for losing money each year. Critics, however, don't take into account the economic activity in local towns related to the complex.

Republican U.S. Congressman Mike Bost of Murphysboro says he is watching the situation.

This week, Bost's spokesman Jim Forbes said Bost is monitoring the shooting complex situation,, even though it is a state, not federal, issue.

"It is (Bost's) understanding the a private company is looking at the shooting complex." said Forbes. "The company is said to be very interested."

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which manages the complex, has put our requests for proposals to better utilize or operate the complex, but very little information on what the state might have received has been made public.

==============================================================

Shoot well.

John

 

JHunts, thanks, very interesting. Guess we'll have to wait to see how this plays out. Interesting that somebody would want to purchase in that area. Nice facility but not near population so they must have something specific in mind to bring people to the area.

 

And the beat goes on ....

The 'shell sales' being directed back to the complex for many, will only take business away from a local location that employs local people, who are paying local tax, and spending their pay-check in other local business ....

 

Perhaps it is being done as a convenience for so many people who do not like shopping at WalMart?

 

Nothing to do with "convenience" .....

It is stupid from a tax revenue point .... Walmart pays property tax, inventory tax (unsold shells), local wages .... even temporary employment for the Grand for the additional sales, and so on .....

If ... the Grand brings X-million into the 'area' .... and takes most of it back with them .... how does that 'do anything' for the local economy ?????

 

The shell house at the Grand doesn't pay local taxes?

 

Leonidas why don't you call and ask ???? Isn't that what you recommend to others who have questions like this ????

 

Sales taxes charged by the vendors at the WSRC go to the State of Illinois, just over 6% of sales.