VITAL STATS
Name: Mesker Amphitheatre
Address: 1545 Mesker Park Drive
Year Opened: 1951
Owner: City of Evansville
Historical Footnote: During its heyday, KISS, Bob Dylan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, Def Leppard, and Iron Maiden all graced the stage.
Shuttered in 2012 โ a year after the Ford Center opened less than five miles away in Downtown Evansville โ Mesker Amphitheatre still sits vacant with its condition worsening by the day. The outdoor venue that hosted a whoโs who of entertainers for decades is a wasteland of empty concrete, overgrown weeds, and memories.
For longtime Evansville residents, the West Side venue remains a source of nostalgia, curiosity, and social media angst. A Facebook page with 7,500 followers is dedicated to sharing Mesker memories and goading local officials to restore the amphitheater.
In response, those officials have cited challenges such as the proximity of Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden animal habitats, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and jaw-dropping, multi-million dollar cost estimates.
There hasnโt been much hope for fans of the venue โ that is, until Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry tossed them a lifeline during her first State of the City address in April.
โWe are in the early stages of conversation with a private developer, discussing the feasibility and extent of what could be done to revitalize Mesker Amphitheatre,โ Terry said in prepared remarks. โI know for many, this is a crown jewel of Evansville, and while I donโt want to over-promise, Iโm cautiously … and I do mean cautiously … optimistic that we will have news in the coming months.โ
Terry didnโt elaborate, but she told reporters after her speech that other venues in Indiana have been restored, โand thereโs a possibility we could potentially do that right here.โ
Evansville Business asked the mayorโs office for an update on her State of the City remarks. Terryโs office released a statement from her in response.
โFirst and foremost, any future plans for Mesker Amphitheatre would have to fit with both the changes that have occurred at Mesker Park Zoo, and with the zooโs plans moving forward,โ the statement reads. โI would see that as a multi-use venue โ one that could host music events, though they might not be as large as what people saw there in past decades; but one that also could host zoo events and other types of entertainment.โ
Mesker Amphitheatre was built after the 1936 death of local philanthropist George Mesker. It could hold 8,500 people for a show โ 5,500 in seats and another 3,000 on the lawn.
It housed big-name touring performers for decades, with the Doobie Brothers and Bob Dylan being its last guests before being shut down because of its deterioration and the availability of modern, disabled-accessible concert venues.
As for when or if there will be a next act for Mesker Amphitheatre, the best anyone can do for now is stay tuned.
