In July, the city and Board of Park Commissioners approved accepting proposals to lease Mesker Amphitheatre. Opened in 1951, the much-loved venue was a crown jewel in Evansville’s musical and cultural attractions. While I would love to see this project come to fruition, and this is certainly a positive step forward, the requirements are daunting.
Parties interested in the rehabilitation effort would need to meet 16 criteria to help choose a willing bidder. The day after the Parks Board meeting on July 16, a six-page document was uploaded to the local government’s online document center. It spells out 32 additional requirements for leasing the facility.
The issues? It will take either an organization or someone with a strong balance sheet to meet the financial prerequisites put forth in the proposal. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden’s animals have to be protected from the noise, and that will require a very large and expensive sound wall. Then there is the lack of parking and ADA compliance, horrible graffiti, and the flooding-prone nature of the facility. I toured it several years ago…it was not good.
The owner of The Mill Amphitheatre in Terre Haute, Indiana, is said to be putting in a proposal. My limited research shows they have had success in Terre Haute, but renovation is quite a bit different than new construction. I just don’t believe it will end up making financial sense to overcome the many significant obstacles; the estimate was $12 million in 2012. I sure would love to be wrong. It’s happened before.
One of my favorite Evansvillians passed away on June 4. Tess Grimm, longtime Reitz Home Museum executive director, was a force of nature and someone whose friendship I enjoyed a great deal. I always joked with her that I could never say no to her, and she knew it. She was warm, witty, and charming, and I will miss her smile and grace.
I try to pay attention to things going on in our community, which is a good idea in my business, but something got past me (well, probably many things), and I was just as happy to learn late.
The wiffleball field at Haynie’s Corner Arts District, where the Haynie’s Corner Wiffleball League plays, is the Doug Annakin Memorial Field — Doug passed away in May 2020. I think if you knew Doug, and certainly many in our community did, this simple act would make him very happy. I miss him and the laughter that always ensued when he was with … well just about anyone.
Kristen and I had the pleasure of speaking to the Rotary Club of Evansville in June regarding Evansville Living’s 25th anniversary. There is just something inherently good about local civic organizations. As I watched members file in and greet one another, say the Pledge of Allegiance, recite the Rotary Pledge or (the 4-way test), and partake in a meal together while accomplishing charitable work, it just reminded me of all that is still good in the world, which is why I still love “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Big congratulations to four area athletes with some major happenings. Tyler Ruxer from Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana, has signed to play football at the University of Oklahoma. His fellow Patriot Jett Goldsberry has signed to play at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). Jett’s father, Jon, who I remember playing many years back, was an outstanding player at Purdue University. Certainly, we should all be proud of Reitz Memorial High School Tiger Matthew Fisher, drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round of the Major League Baseball Draft, as well as former Castle High School standout and Auburn University Tiger Cam Tilly, drafted by the New York Mets in round seven. If you are a sports fan, it will surely be fun to watch their progress.
As always, I look forward to hearing from most of you.
Todd A. Tucker, President
