Dreaming
This is based upon the premise that I won 300 million in the lottery, half would go for taxes unless I could defer it, and most of what is left would be invested, earning approximately 10-12% interest per year.
1) First and foremost, I would pay to fly 12-15 people off of here to Wichita (it is in the middle of the country) and put them up at the Airport Hilton (Is the Hilton okay for Jay and Billy?...lol), rent a conference room for 5 days. These 15 individuals and myself would establish a National Organization for Pool in the USA.
We would develop a business plan for the promotion of the sport in our country. The business plan would cover many things, like National standards, youth programs, establishing a pro tour, coordinating with the many regional tours already functioning, promotional backing, etc..
We would elect officers for the organization, and I would have my brother legalize the organization. Each member would be assigned the responsibility of certain tasks to accomplish in our business plan, with it all being coordinated. Goals would be established 5, 10, 15, and 20 year goals, with timelines set for each goal we had. Progress would be monitered ongoing, with a committee review each 6 months.
We would establish our own website to communicate with each other (private) and with the public.
2) I would back the establishing of 3-4 Family Game Rooms in Wichita in different parts of the city primarily for adults and kids under 21. No alcohol, family oriented environment. (Greg Stevens had his Family Game Room here for many many years - We had some kids grow up there and become very good players, like Donnie Brown (OKC) and Jeremy Vulgamore (ICT)). Youth leagues would be established, and would have inner-city competition between the Game Rooms.
I would back an annual youth tournament in our city with nice prizes going to the winners, like $5,000 scholarship towards college, saving bonds, cues, cases, shirts, etc..
3) I would establish 4 major tournaments a year in Wichita with 10-20 thousand added, plus having calcuttas with them. This is mostly for semi-pros. This would draw lots of players from several states around.
(If you build it, they will come) - I would probably rotate the format of the tournament - between 8,9, and 10 ball - and I would also have a 1 pocket tournament along with the big tournament. The big tournament would be on bar boxes, with probably Evelyn and Danny Dysert running them, in fact, if they could included in their Midwest 9 ball tour, so much, the better, although at least 1 would be 8 ball and 1 would be 10 ball.
4) I would establish the Air Capital Tournament for pros with 100,000 added, calcuttas. This would be an annual event. A chance for the people of Wichita to see and interact with the pros. This would draw a lot of people to Wichita. (If you build it, they will come). Played on big tables.
I would also have a 1 pocket tournament besides the big tournament.
All of the tournaments I listed above would have a goal to try to become sponsored and self-supporting to defer costs. I would establish my own committee here in Wichita to see that 2,3, and 4 were set up right with a plan and coordination, and we would coordinate with the organization established in #1.
All of these tournaments would draw people to Wichita and be good for tourism here.
I don't want to list anything more as I feel this is enough and would establish some good tournaments for different levels, be good for city of Wichita and its people and players here. Believe me, I know enough people here, players and such, businessmen and women, room owners, that I could make this fly.
