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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Gateway
3National in Madison, Governors Run in Carlyle, Kokopelli in
4Marion, Rend Lake Golf Resort in Whittington, Stone Creek Golf
5Club in Urbana, and Stonewolf Golf Club in Fairview Heights
6offer some of the most beautiful and captivating courses for
7golf in the State of Illinois; and
 
8    WHEREAS, These seven courses currently operate as
9independent golfing destinations; to visit each course,
10separate dealings with all seven are required in order to set
11up tee times and lodging; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Other states have linked their courses into a
13"trail" to boost tourism and thus revenue; Alabama created the
14highly successful Robert Trent Jones Trail; Iowa and Ohio have
15also connected many of their golf courses and have seen
16tremendous positive economic growth by doing so; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The success of linking golf courses into a
18statewide golf trail is dependent upon ease of use;
19ultimately, there should be one internet portal that would
20enable golfers to reserve tee times and book lodging at all
21seven golf courses; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Other states have already demonstrated that this
2concept can be tremendously successful, and similar results
3are expected in Illinois; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Illinois State parks and lodges could utilize
5additional revenue streams; the additional revenue could be
6used for maintenance, repairs, and improvements or to enhance
7the image and marketing of said facilities; therefore, be it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
9HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
10SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois Office of Tourism
11is urged to do a feasibility study on linking together the
12seven golf courses listed above into the Abraham Lincoln Golf
13Trail (ALGT); and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the study should include, but not be
15limited to, the following:
16        (1) electronic tee time scheduling, which at the start
17    could be an 800 number that golfers would call with a
18    planned move to a fully-automated, electronic tee time
19    scheduling system to take place as soon as possible;
20        (2) automated lodging/hotel reservations, as the
21    convenience of automated bookings and reservations
22    encourages usage;
23        (3) 24/7 customer service assistance, which, until the

 

 

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1    ALGT has the ability to handle customer service itself,
2    could be outsourced to a third party, with the ability to
3    schedule all tee times and make lodging reservations at
4    all courses that are part of the ALGT;
5        (4) ongoing training, as customer service is the
6    hallmark of any successful organization, annual training
7    for all golf course staff would be recommended;
8        (5) promotion, including information about the trail
9    to be disseminated at the individual courses,
10    advertisements on the website, and paid advertising space;
11        (6) public relations "buzz" and "word of mouth"; and
12        (7) licensing merchandise, as merchandise with a logo
13    is a natural for all member pro shops; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That the seven courses listed above would be
15considered phase one of the ALGT; as the trail becomes
16operational, additional golf courses in central and northern
17Illinois could be added; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That the study is requested to be completed by
19December 31, 2023; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21delivered to the Illinois Office of Tourism.