The Mill owners looking forward to 2023 season

Feb. 11—In early 2021, Tim and Kelly Drake's plans had been on hold for a year because of the pandemic.

Once the winter weather cleared and bulldozers began creating space for their outdoor concert venue in February and March of that year, the skeptics on social media doubted the Drakes and their team could transform the grounds of a bygone paper mill in time for a scheduled June show by Grammy-winning rapper Nelly. Family and friends were enlisted to help, along with local work crews through "a lot of late nights," as Kelly put it.

Then, on June 5, 2021, it happened. Nelly performed. Thousands of fans turned out. And, The Mill has been busy ever since.

"No one thought we could do it," Tim Drake said, looking back on that time two years ago. "And, man, with Nelly in that first show, we did it. And that was a big one."

Turn the clock ahead to Sept. 17, 2022, and classic Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd were performing at that same facility on Prairieton Road on Terre Haute's south side. The rugged terrain of the early days had been smoothed, and facilities improved and updated. Thousands of fans filled The Mill for "Free Bird," "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Gimme Three Steps" as the sun set on the last days of summer on the Wabash River valley.

"There's been a few times you've been amazed at what you've kind of pulled off here, and just start crying," Tim said. "And you go, 'Oh, crap. I can't believe it.' And you see Skynyrd out there."

Five months later, the Drakes are preparing for Season 3 at The Mill. Announcements of 2023 concerts at the 65-acre outdoor venue are coming soon, they said last week. They've secured artists for concerts in June and July, with at least seven others close to being finalized. They've had offers out since October for touring acts to add The Mill to their lists this year. Prospective performers are also still filling out their tour schedules. "It's just such a long, drawn-out process," Kelly said.

Ultimately, the roster of concerts at The Mill will be a diverse mix of popular music genres, Kelly said, just as it's been the past two seasons. It's included rap, such as Nelly, to contemporary country like singer Jon Pardi, who played to a throng of fans last August, to the heavy metal-funk-alt-rock of Living Colour to classic 1970s rockers like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Three Dog Night.

"Definitely some rock and country," Kelly said of the 2023 possibilities. "There is some possible family-friendly stuff that will be coming down, which will be awesome," as well as classic rock and more.

"We've got some offers for some stuff that people would probably never expect to come to Terre Haute, so we're trying to get that lined out," Tim added. "Those are our fingers-crossed shows, like once-in-a-lifetime. We're trying."

Nationally, the concert touring industry is looking at the upcoming 2023 season "with guarded optimism," according to a report in the San Diego Times-Union last month.

At The Mill, the Drakes are realistic, yet unfazed by reaching for some touring performers most often associated with larger venues. As The Mill progressed, the Drakes had its fencing moved back to allow more room for crowds up to 10,000. Its biggest shows thus far have topped 7,000, and smaller shows have drawn 2,500 to 5,000 fans comfortably. They've tried to keep beverage and concession prices affordable, and aim to keep general admission tickets in the $25 to $40 average price range, adding to The Mill's appeal.

Wabash Valley music fans have pitched ideas on possible acts, "And we love it, because we're not afraid to ask," Kelly said. "It doesn't bother me at all. I truly do look at all of that, because this is for the community. So, of course, we want community feedback."

Tim gave a hypothetical example of their boldness.

"A big artist that only plays to 30,000 — we're not going to get Garth Brooks," he said, "but I'll try."

Kelly recalled that her first concert was Hoosier Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp in Bloomington. "I would love to get him over here" at The Mill, she said.

Since those days of early 2021, when the Drakes' team were working to attract performers to a venue that hadn't yet been built, they can now use their progress to entice touring acts. Improvements to The Mill include upgrades enabled by a $200,000 grant through the state of Indiana's Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, commonly known as READI grants.

The venue now has a permanent rooftop over its 11,375 square-foot stage. Permanent, ADA-accessible walkways have been installed. There's a new entry with and ticket booth. Permanent "bar rooftops" hover over the concession areas. More grooming of the property has been done, and more parking has been added in the rear of the venue.

"So that's going to allow us to go for some bigger artists that mean bigger numbers," Tim said.

The Drakes have a master plan in the works that envisions an "entertainment district" at The Mill in the future, involving lodging options and community space, with a secondary stage arrangement that could accommodate local bands.

"There's a lot of people working to get the river development going, and we're right along with them," Kelly said.

"We're dreaming pretty hard," Tim added. "Some of our ideas are definitely out there, but I guess it's like us with artists — if you don't ask, they're not going to come here. So we're going for it."

Tim met Kelly while they were students at Terre Haute South Vigo High School. He studied for a year at Indiana State University, took a full-time job for a year, then finished his college studies at the University of Southern Indiana. As a USI senior, he and fellow investors opened Show-Me's sports bar in Terre Haute, a venture that led Drake to consider launching a venue like The Mill.

Kelly left Terre Haute for Indiana University, thinking "Bloomington, bigger and better than Terre Haute," but a year later returned to finish her college degree at ISU. That return to her hometown shaped her present outlook for Terre Haute, which includes building a community that serves residents and appeals to graduates of the local colleges.

"I think that initial 'Oh, I need to get out of town, there's nothing to do,' that's what we want to change," she said. "To see the potential in Terre Haute, that whole attitude is going to change to 'There's a lot of things going on here.'"

She added, "Our vision is quality of life."

Concerts close to the Wabash are now part of those quality-of-life activities. Last September's Lynyrd Skynyrd show lingers in their minds as an example of what can happen.

"I just love the atmosphere of live music. There's nothing like it," Kelly said.

Tim continued her thought. "Being in the open air's pretty neat, too," he said. "There's definitely some cons, with the rain and whatnot, but at 9 o'clock when those lights are shining and the music's pumping and you've had a few drinks, you feel good. You're making memories."

Mark Bennett can be reached at 812-231-4377 or mark.bennett@tribstar.com.