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World Shooting & Recreation Complex
Award of Merit: Sports & Entertainment
The primary goal of the World Shooting & Recreational
Complex in Sparta, Ill., was to provide a catalyst for economic
growth in the southwestern part of the state.
The facility was designed to attract major national and international
shooting competitions and outdoor events and is touted as a
possible Olympic venue.
The complex meets the needs and lease requirements of the Amateur
Trapshooting Association, which selected the facility as its
new home after outgrowing its previous headquarters in Vandalia,
Ohio.
The WSRC was constructed on a schedule that allowed the 2006
Grand American the ATA's signature shooting sports competition-to
take place in August. It enticed more than 7,000 shooters to
the international clay shooting competition that awards more
than 400 trophies and $1 million in prize money for 23 events.
On Former Strip Mine
Located on a reclaimed coal strip mine near the New Madrid
Fault Line, the WSRC covers more than 1,600 acres with 250
acres of water.
The facility features 120 trap fields, including 24 skeet
shooting fields over a 3.5-mi. course, as well as two sporting
clay courses, rifle and pistol ranges and archery range. The
30,000-sq.-ft. Event Center includes a 10,000-sq.-ft. dining
area, offices, meeting rooms and registration and exhibit
space. Other elements are a 40,000-sq.-ft. vendor mall and
full-scale camping/parking complex boasting 1,000 campsites.
The project's landscape design used native plants to provide
shade and buffering of views. The selection of plants was
coordinated with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
and the Illinois Nurserymen's Association to ensure that all
plants were suitable for strip-mined land.
The WSRC Events Center was designed to be the jewel of the
complex.
Standing taller than the other structures, it catches the
eye when approaching, and the curved metal roofs were designed
to emulate skeet targets.
The Vendor Mall adjacent to the Events Center was developed
to house WSRC permanent vendors and other vendors who provide
goods and services. It is a large open-air structure intended
for temporary occupancy.
Jury Comments: "Southern Illinois is now home to a major
trapshooting association because of this project. The project
is appropriate because shooting sports are fairly significant
in that part of the state."
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