Updating a story from last week, State Representative Jerry Costello II, of Smithton, joined Amateur Trapshooting Association Executive Director Lynn Gipson on Friday to announce that the Grand American World Trapshooting Championship would stay in Sparta under a memorandum of understanding reached by the ATA with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “While my ultimate goal continues to be the permanent reopening of the World Shooting and Recreational Complex, the economic impact that the AIM and Grand American have on the region is unparalleled, and ensuring that they stay will provide stability to participants, vendors and businesses that rely on the money these events bring to Southern Illinois,” Costello said. “These are the largest events held at the complex during any given year in terms of economic impact on Southern Illinois, which makes it all the more important that these events are staying in Sparta.” It was estimated that the event brought in over 4,600 participants in August 2015 with over 16,000 spectators. The City of Sparta took in $133,365.91 in sales tax revenue in August, as over $1.6 million was spent in Sparta alone, so there was approximately $14 million in annual economic impact on Southern Illinois. Under the agreement, if there is still no Illinois budget by April 2016, the ATA and IDNR will work out an arrangement for the ATA to lease the World Shooting and Recreational Complex from the state for the months of June, July and August in 2016, which will allow shooting lanes to be open for the AIM youth program Grand Championship and the Grand American World Trapshooting Championship. Shooting and camping at the WSRC has been closed since October 1st, though the complex is set to reopen upon completion of a budget deal.