Illinois is broke.
Social service spending, pension obligations and profligate spending across the board under the Democrat leadership of Illinois General Assembly the past decade plus has left Illinois broke.
The “budget” proposed for this coming year is four billion dollars out of whack.
Illinois new Republican governor seems to be holding firm on demanding painful cuts to cut that budget deficit and one of those proposals is to shut down the Illinois Department of Natural Resources World Shooting Complex in Sparta, Illinois come September 1.
Built for about $50 million in the mid-2000s in actual construction costs plus infrastructure improvements, it was touted to be the nicest shooting facility in the nation. It’s nice, no doubt. 1,600 acres, with almost 750 campsites, 120 trap fields and a monstrous 34,000 square foot events center.
Its proponents touted that it would be a money making venture for the state, to the tune of $50 million or more in economic development, annually.
It has not turned a profit since it was built, much less bringing in $50M+ annually to the state. This year it was slated to be $3.4 million in the red, up from $3.3 million in 2012.
It hasn’t even boosted local sales tax revenue. In fact, local sales tax revenue has declined since the facility was built and today are at 2002 levels if you consider inflation.
Shooters react to proposed closure of World Shooting Complex
SPARTA, IL (KFVS) – The latest series of budget cuts announced by Illinois governor Bruce Rauner would suspend operations of the World Shooting Complex in Sparta Illinois.
The governor’s announcement consisted of more than $420 million in statewide cuts, which includes the suspension of all operations at the 1,600 acre complex, effective September 1st 2015.
The governor originally proposed a budget earlier in 2015 which was highly controversial due to what cuts included which were widely regarded as ‘severe’.
In response, a new budget has moved through the house and senate, but the administration claims that one leaves the state at a $4 billion deficit..
We would urge the governor and legislature to revisit this proposed closure and find money to keep this facility open, or to privatize the facility. At the same time, we understand that the state is broke and state cuts in spending will affect us all in one way or another.
Shut it down. I am tired of paying more and more taxes for big money pits. This has been a boondoggle from the get go.
I will, however, be pissed if the Sparta facility is closed without the free shit army also getting their freebies slashed.
Illinois might go the way of Cyprus. Keep an eye on your bank accounts.
Congress past a law a few years ago that claims your money is an unsecured loan to the bank.
If the Bank fails your money, my money belongs to the Bank and even with the FDIC we may never see our money.
P>S> A bank bail-in is a real possibility in the USA. A new currency is also a real possibility in the near future. Expect a 50% decline in the market over the next few years but please realize the decline will involve at least two major corrections on the market
Kudos to you, John for presenting the facts (this is a money losing facility) as opposed to just the “We like shooting so keep it open!” message a certain, other, regional gun rights organization put out.
Shut it down and/or sell it. No more money sucking pits.
I saw the email from ISRA that claimed the Sparta facility pumped $15M annually into the local economy.
I’d like to see some supporting documentation, because I’ve found nothing of the sort.
If you look at reported sales tax revenues, they are DOWN from even before they started construction.
John
The Sparta World Shooting Complex was a former coal strip mine. Strip mines are required to reclaim the farmland they disturb to their pre-mining productivity by replacing the topsoil and subsoil properly, elimination of rocks and compaction, restore the original topography, etc. To prove productivity has been achieved, the Illinois Department of Agriculture samples the crops for 10 years following reclamation to insure the farmland productivity has been achieved. The mines have to post bond to ensure that job is done right (kinda like posting a bond to get out of jail to insure you show up for trial).
The State of Illinois and the coal company officials cut a deal as reclamation began. The State agreed to waive the requirements to fully reclaim the mined land and prove productivity, in exchange for the the State’s acquisition of the land for much less than fair market value (the mine may have given the state the partially reclaimed land at no cost – don’t remember). Good deal for both parties – right? Not in my opinion. The coal company saved millions and millions of dollars on reclamation and the State got a dud piece of land, forever lost to good agricultural production. Now that the shooting complex is set to close, what will happen to the land? Depending on how long the complex is closed, it will grow up in brush, left to erode, bear the scars of mining (acidic hot spots, rocks, erosion, invasive plant species, etc.) and will be a blight on the landscape forever. The State does not have the money to properly manage the former strip mine as a resource. The State can barely manage the parkland it now owns. The only winner in this boondoggle was the mine that sold the land to the State. I am not castigating the mining company. If I could find a gullible, dufus, nitwit, stupid buyer like they did, I would have done the same thing. Typical of our government. They screw up absolutely everything they get involved in.
Have never been there. Probably won’t ever go there.
Why didn’t Illinois build fifty ranges at a million each instead of one monster one in the middle of Egypt?
Oh, that’s right. Illinois’ governors prefer making license plates to supporting gun owners.
Sam
I got that ISRA “emergency OMGBBQ!!! alert” email too.
IMHO, I too support closure. Until and unless it is something besides a place for two or three big shoots, and brings in some money, close it.
I too vote for more, cheaper ranges spread through Illinois where the vast majority of us can access them without driving half a day to get there.
I have to believe another solution exists. Open,and operate at a loss or closed,which will still incur some expense, appear to be the only conversation. I’d like to see information regarding operating expenses and revenue to better understand the picture. If the state is intent on not supporting or pursuing more cost effective operations, I suggest selling it to an organization which in all probability will operate it efficiently and earn a profit.