Letter from the ATA President

I got this in an email yesterday... lots of words, but nothing solid

To the Association Delegates and State Secretaries,

I’ll start by thanking you for your commitment of time and resources to support the Association and the Grand American. While we have a fabulous full time staff in Sparta, ours is largely an organization of dedicated volunteers. Without your valuable contribution of time and expertise, the promotion and viability of our sport and Association would not be possible.

I’m writing you to give you an update on the status of the World Shooting Complex and the Grand American.

All forms of target shooting were suspended at the Complex on September 30, 2015. The restaurant, event center and year round vendors have remained open, but due to the Illinois budget issue shooting was suspended.

The suspension of shooting activity created a difficult situation for the ATA to begin the planning process for the 2016 Grand American. This traditionally starts with sponsorship discussions in the fall of the year. After considering many possible options, we approached IDNR with the idea that the ATA could expand their responsibilities at the Complex next summer if the budget issue was not resolved. The result was a Memorandum of Understanding between the ATA and IDNR. The MOU stipulates that if the budget issue remains unresolved by April 15, 2016, the ATA and IDNR will discuss the terms to an amendment to our Grand American lease of the facility. The amendment will address the expansion of the ATA’s role and responsibilities to include the management of the shooting complex for the months of June, July and August 2016. ATA staff would be prepared to devote whatever resources and efforts necessary to ensure that the facility is prepared to host world class events during these months. This would include the Grand American, the AIM Championship, the SCTP National Championship, the SCTP Illinois Championships and the US Open (if scheduled during this time frame by the Illinois Trap Assn). This ensures that one way or another, these events will take place at the shooting complex, and plans can be made by shoot management, industry and participants.

The public announcement of the existence and scope of the MOU will be made at the Shooting Complex on Friday afternoon, January 15. I will be in attendance as will IDNR officials, local ATA and Grand American management staff, local legislators and city officials and the ATA Sparta staff. Although we have been in receipt of this signed MOU for a few weeks, there has not been a public announcement so as to not impact or influence the current arbitration negotiations between the state and the municipal employees union.

The MOU applies to 2016 only. In early 2016 the ATA will attempt to negotiate a permanent addendum to our lease of the same nature of the MOU which would apply to the remaining life of the lease. This would ensure that Sparta would remain the location of the Grand American no matter the status of the State budget.

For the first time, this year’s 117th Grand American will have Signature Sponsors. Our sport’s greatest benefactors, Bill and Lee Ann Martin have agreed to be Signature Sponsors for this year’s championship tournament. This will be yet another benevolent gesture to the ATA by the Martin’s. Please extend your thanks as you have the opportunity.

Thank you again for your continued patience and support throughout this ordeal.

Respectfully,

Wayne Morris

2016 ATA President

 

It does not appear that many people are very interested in a "Generic" form letter based on the amount of people who have read it and the number who have responded ..? WPT ... (YAC) ...

 

Could be the $4,000,000.00 Ron eluded to in another post.

May be the Cost to get this going to pay municipal employees, and others to run the operation ?

I sure hope this isn't a "Year to Year" happening.

 

Love the Martins. Could the sport survive with out them. Thank you Bill & Lorrie. Roger

 

Definition of an enabler : a person who encourages or enables negative or self-destructive behavior in another.

There are venues that survive without enablers.

 

Well Roger, It looks like you can't even give credit to the good guys in the sport with out someone criticizing it.

 

Leonidas

You can be a good guy and still be the enabler.

 

I think you meant Bill & LeeAnn.

 

I did mean LeeAnn. But I also meant to thank Pete And Lorrie for their help also. I had a senior moment. Roger C.

 

I have checked out the web sites for the IDNR, Illinois Gov Rauners Office, WSRC, Illinois.com, shootata.com, rebootIllinois.com, besides googled anything pertaining to the WSRC in Sparta, Ill for the past several weeks and there is no mention of anything going on this Friday other than there has been a tentative agreement reached and the official announcement to be made this Friday (01-15-16 @ 3 PM) for the grand to be in Sparta for 2016 ... The ATA has a legal document in the form of a lease as another agreement that was agreed to and signed by the principles involved that is obviously not going to be honored by the State but this tentative agreement (not a legal document) will tentatively be honored ..? I often heard "first time , shame on you , second time, shame on me " in the past and always paid attention to it and when it should apply for obvious reasons ... I am hoping Merlo has the inside track on this so he can make an announcement and we can all go about our life with one less thing to worry about ... The next problem they will be confronted with is getting anyone to show up other than a few local shooters and the EC, ED and some of the BOD who will be getting paid to be there any way ... WPT ... (YAC) ...