Desperate Times

The ATA is recalling reaching out , they're advertising South Illinois visitors guide , IMHO its a guide to NOTHINGNESS

No where to stay, nothing to see, and no medical response nearby

 

I received the email from the ata yesterday

Get a free ILLINOISouth Visitors Guide before arriving to the 2021 Grand American!

You want to see ironic?

On the online version of the guide when you open the FIRST page it is highlighting, ready for it?

VANDALIA ILLINOIS
They could have put it in the middle or even at the end of the guide but nope, right on the first page. Now that is some smart marketing right there.

Either that or someone in the editing department wanted to rub it in a little.

Maybe LG has a side job.

 

Really? I could of swore Sparta and Red Bud have a hospital. Nothing to see? I seem to remember a few historic sites, family entertainment centers, outdoor parks, and St. Louis (which has lots to do) all within an hour. Places to stay? Well not right outside the front gate but more campsites than any other shooting facility. Lots of great places to eat and within 30-40 minutes. Not those big chains but great home style food.

 

St. Louis, Riots, looting, crime. East St. Louis especially.

Entertainment, Cardinal Center has all that (excluding the East St. Louis looting) within ten minutes.

There are more campsites in the CC area. Especially with Alum creek State Park and the adjoining campground to the west.

The motels at the CC are almost outside the gate. You have to go 25 minutes to get to the Heritage $34.95, or ten minutes south for the fancy places.

At the CC and Missouri, your money does not go to a gun hate state. You can carry in Ohio. You get arrested for that crap in Illinois.

If you decide to go to Sparta. Do not risk a felony carrying a firearm.

 

Sparta is a growing town, many claimed that in 10 years after the ATA relocated there it would have any and all of the amenities a person would want or at least need just like way back when Vandalia got started ... Someone obviously forgot to advertise for the expansion to any and all of the Major Corp who would see the merit to such a move ... If not for Wal Mart Sparta would be nothing more than a rural town in the middle of no place hoping tor a miracle still 15 / 16 years later, that ain't never going to happen ... If the facility were in a populated area with amenities it would probably be a gold mine, where it is situated its nothing more than a strip mined coal mine off the beaten path ... The ATA in their haste to have a place, anyplace to have the grand made a major mistake and it continues to compound to this day with the exception of last year when the shoot was moved to Lynn Creek, Mo ... In all fairness to move it for one year does not tell the real story of what the shoot can get re established to be as it would probably grow in attendance each year for as few years as shooter got accustomed to having amenities at their disposal in the general area ... Sparta is NEVER going to be the shooting mecca people felt it was going to be, accept the facts and move on ... WPT ... (YAC) ....

 

I actually agree let’s Move on... Move on is hard for some of the frequent posters who always want to bring up Sparta.

19 days... BM

 

The ATA made a colussal mistake by moving to Sparta. When they admit to that mistake the moving forward will begin.
Not until. The target flights must be amended to make this a challenging sport again, and the rules must be adheared to.
Change the process for picking a president is a must. Roger C

 

I think the Medical Evac helicopters fly out of the Sparta Airport also and yes there is a Hospital in Red Bud.

 

And yet, after all these years, the attendance numbers are STILL pathetic.

 

From the lousy attendance at what was once the premier shooting event of the year it would seem like more than 2000 shooters that always went to the Grand In Vandalia HAVE moved on.

How is that " the Midwest shooter base will make up any loss of Eastern shooters" working out?

If you want to get 4000 people for Event 24, like it used to be, then you better start with those people winston said would show up.

And BTW, that "winston bashing" you referred to in another thread?

HE HAD IT COMING!

 

There is a hospital in Sparta also. Roger C.