Music Venue Proposed For International Paper Site
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA family in Vigo County has announced plans to transform the former International Paper site. Our partners at WTHI-TV report Tim Drake and his family are looking to turn the property into a music venue, tentatively called "The Mill."
The plans were announced this week. Drake says the idea is still in the beginning stages, but he envisions turning the site into an indoor and outdoor concert and event space, the outdoor portion of which could hold up to 5,000 people.
Drake tells the station he expects to invest $1.5 million to get the venue up and running. The site is currently owned by Vigo County, which had been considering using it for the new Vigo County Jail.
"We always said this area, there’s going to be someone that’s interested in this piece no matter what’s on the other side," County Commissioner Judy Anderson told WTHI. She said Drake’s proposal would not interfere with a new jail facility and expressed excitement about the potential music venue.
"We will talk to him and kind of negotiate the size of land that each one needs and those things," said Anderson, "The city has approached us wanting some, and so we’ll make those decisions later. Just to know that he’s going to do something with this beautiful old building, that in itself is marvelous."
Drake said he hopes to move plans forward by January.