A “topping out” ceremony was held Saturday at the new Summit Arena at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City to mark the placement of its final steel beam.
The beam was signed by the construction workers, as well as Mayor Steve Allender, who thanked the workers and project designers for their hard work.
Civic Center director Craig Baltzer says while topping out is a significant milestone, a lot of work remains with the focus now shifting to interior work. Baltzer says the 230,000 square foot project remains on schedule for completion in September.
Rapid City voters approved the $130-million dollar arena in June 2018 to replace the aging Barnett Arena, designed in 1977.
Baltzer says the arena could not longer compete with venues in other cities because many modern events such as productions, shows, and even basketball tournaments weren’t able to fit into it anymore.