September 28, 2021
Venue is future home for Sun Devil men's ice hockey, wrestling and women's gymnastics, as well as community events
Arizona State University and Sun Devil Athletics, in partnership with Mortenson and Oak View Group, hosted a “topping out” ceremony Tuesday to commemorate the last beam set in place on top of the new Multi-Purpose Arena on the Tempe campus. Set to open in late 2022, the new arena will host university and community events and serve as the future home for Sun Devil men's ice hockey, wrestling and women's gymnastics.
Located in the Novus Innovation Corridor, the arena’s steel structure was topped out, completing the final placement of 1,100 tons of steel. In addition, 6,980 yards of concrete have been poured since the project broke ground earlier this year.
The ceremony recognized the major construction milestone by placing a tree and flags atop the last structural beam that was lifted into place, a tradition acknowledging the successful partnership and project progress to date. Having worked more than 124,892 hours since groundbreaking without a single recordable injury, workers were recognized for their commitment to a safe project site.
"The Multi-Purpose Arena will be a very important piece of the Novus Innovation Corridor — a 'live, work, play' community that will span more than 10 million square feet," said Morgan R. Olsen, ASU executive vice president, treasurer and chief financial officer. "Sun Devils can cheer on ASU athletes in the arena housed in this sustainable, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development that provides community resources and economic value to the region. We're pleased that Mortenson and Oak View Group have partnered with us on this exciting arena project."
Ben Goetter, vice president, general manager at Mortenson, said, “This is truly an exciting time and an amazing milestone to celebrate in partnership with Arizona State University and all of our trade partners who are bringing this world-class facility to life. The topping out is always a rewarding moment to acknowledge all of the hard work and pay tribute to the team’s commitment to ensuring everyone goes home safely each day. We are excited to continue this momentum and look forward to seeing this transformational project complete next year.”