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The 1,600 acre World
Shooting & Recreation Complex in Sparta was developed as a catalyst for
economic growth in Southwestern Illinois. Since its July 2006 opening, the $40 million
complex has
already become one of the premier shooting facilities in the world. It has brought
more than 250 new jobs to the region and has generated millions in tourist and retail
revenues.
Knight's team designed
the complex with the user in mind, specifically the members of the Amateur
Trapshooting Association, which chose the WSRC as its new home. The outdoor
sports and recreational facility features dozens of trap and skeet shooting
fields, sporting clay courses and rifle and pistol ranges, and fishing,
picnic and camp sites. An Events Center provides exhibit and dining areas
and conference rooms, while the Vendor Mall provides space for WSRC
permanent and event-temporary vendors.
WSRC users have
consistently high praise for the space, amenities and attention to shooter
needs. Chuck Fritzges, director of the Amateur Trapshooting Association's
Grand American competition, said that most of the shooters he had spoken
with were ecstatic about the complex. "The facility's great," he said. "It's
going to allow the Grand to grow."
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