World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, Illinois

At one time Sparta, Illinois, was only noted for being the stand-in for the Sparta, Georgia, setting for the Sidney Poitier movie, in the Heat of the Night. 

Now it's known for something else.   The World Shooting and Recreation Complex opened on July 6, 2006 on more than 1500 acres, designed to replace the Amateur Trapshooting Association's Vandalia, Ohio facility, which opened in 1900.   Three ATA tournaments were quickly scheduled and held: the 2006 Grand American, the US Open Trapshooting Championships, and an October shoot. 

The first 10-day Grand American drew about 150,000 people in August 2006 although the following year's event suffered somewhat from high gas prices.  

The complex is designed to accommodate a variety of shooting events.  Among them, the 2005 Illinois state cowboy action shooting championship which drew 311 shooters to compete in the largest state championship in the country. 

The Randolph County Cowboy Ruckus, a single-action shooting event sponsored by the Prairie State Cowby Action Shooting Association, was held at the complex, as well.  

The hub of the complex is the Events Center, a 34,000-square foot building housing a 7,000-square foot registration area, conference rooms, a pro shop, and a full-service restaurant.  There is also a Vendor Mall and a 20,800 foot multipurpose building.  There are five lakes on the property, with the Events Center restaurant's outdoor terrace overlooking one of them.  

In all, 120 trap fields are stretched out along a 3.5 mile long shooting line, the longest trap line in the world.  There are two sporting clays course and 24 skeet fields.  Sixteen lighted fields were prepared for the Grand American and other events.   

More than 1,000 campsites have been created to accomodate shooters.  Of those, about a third are set against one of the largest lakes where anglers can dip a line.   

The lakes at the complex cover 180 acres of water and have been stocked with 19 species of fish, including white crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, green sunfish, warmouth, and yellow bass.  

This year's many events at the complex include the US Open Skeet Championship September 5-7 and the ATA Grand American August 6-16. 

A full schedule of events at the complex is can be accessed throught the state website at www.dnr.state.il.us/worldshooting/default.html  

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. - Thursday  

The Sparta World Shooting and Recreation Complex is located five miles north of Sparta on Illinois Route 4 then west on Randolph County Road 18.  The telephone number is (618) 295-2700.

For more stories on places to visit in and around Illinois, check out the many listed in my Gather group "Illinois Road Trip" at http://www.illinoisroadtrip.gather.com/