Construction update on Mountain American Center

IDHAO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Construction on the $62 million Mountain America Center is moving along, right on schedule.

Another milestone was reached Friday at the center.

There was a special ceremony placing the final beam into the top of the building.

A large crowd of donors were on hand to see the progress and sign the final being that will go up into the rafters of the new building.

"We needed additional help, and you stepped up," Idaho Falls Auditorium District Executive Director Rob Spear said. "And so how fitting it is today to have the last piece of structural support go in this facility with your names on it."

Project managers said those donors are too important of a part of this project to leave out.

"They were absolutely critical," IFAD chairmna Terri Gazdik said. "We could not break ground until we had the commitments we needed to make sure we had the financing."

After thank yous and some updates, it was time to lift the beam to its final place at the top of the building where those signatures will still be visible to fans when the building is finished.

The building will hold more than 6,000 people for concerts and right around 4,200 for hockey games.

"I think it's important for people to understand that this event center has an impact on not just Idaho Falls but all of eastern Idaho western Wyoming and southern Montana," Gazdik said. "Our marketability studies and the the companies that we've hired have told us that we draw from 450,000 people the the geographic area that will influence is that large."

The center is on track to be finished by this fall.