By Jimmy Carlton Sportswriter Published Aug 24, 2017 at 2:09 PM

It was a celebratory and congratulatory atmosphere on the floor of the new Bucks arena on Thursday, as team officials, local politicians and project representatives joined with hundreds of workers for a topping-off ceremony at the Milwaukee Tool Construction Site, commemorating the tradition held by builders when the last beam is placed atop a structure.

In marking the latest milestone, just 14 months after groundbreaking, the assembled leaders on stage expressed, as always, their excitement about the arena, as well as their sincere appreciation for the impressive work that’s already been done on it. (Photos below.)

Bucks President Peter Feigin said the new venue is "much more than a building," calling it a statewide destination and reiterating its prominent role in the development of Downtown.

"Today’s topping-off celebration is a testament to all the project leaders and skilled craft workers who are committed to building the most spectacular arena in the world," Feigin said. "There is still more work to be done, but we are proud to celebrate this momentous occasion and look forward to bringing this arena to life with the best of sports and entertainment."

County Executive Chris Abele touted the growth impact on the rest of the Park East land and declared the team would be "a big and positive part of the community for decades to come." Mayor Tom Barrett praised city residents and the Common Council, adding "cities are always reinventing themselves, and we are witnessing this renaissance here because of individuals who believed in Milwaukee." Department of Administration Secretary and Wisconsin Center District Chairman Scott Neitzel trumpeted, "This is what can happen when we work together. There is opportunity for everyone."

Mortenson Senior Vice President & General Manager Derek Cunz recognized the 700-plus construction and more than 2,000 craft workers on the job site, as well as many more at the fabrication sites. Milwaukee Tool President Steven Richman thanked them all for their hard work every day. And Mike Sorge, Mortenson Construction Executive and Project Director, described sustainability efforts and explained the significance of raising the beam.

"Accomplishing this milestone is a direct result of the dedication, commitment, and hard work of the project team and craft workers," Sorge said. "Their continued efforts to keep the project on schedule and budget while safely building this landmark facility is driving the project’s success.

They all emphasized that the project has progressed on time, on budget and at scale, meeting every proposal goal and doing so with efficiency and organization. They pointed out the job creation and spurred development, with Abele noting "100 percent of the Park East land is committed and will be built on." They proudly asserted that the local labor force will have plenty more to construct in this area in the future.

They acknowledged and applauded the gathered workers. And then everyone watched the last beam get raised to the rafters, topping off the arena, as music played (Phillip Phillips’ "Home," for some reason), hands were shook and cell phones captured the triumphant moment.

The state-of-the-art arena is currently 55 percent complete, and Feigin said the roof closure would be finished in a couple of months. The venue is expected to open next fall, before the 2018-19 Bucks and Marquette seasons, and it will also host major concerts, family shows, boxing, MMA, NCAA men’s basketball tournament games and other special events.

Jimmy Carlton Sportswriter

Born in Milwaukee but a product of Shorewood High School (go ‘Hounds!) and Northwestern University (go ‘Cats!), Jimmy never knew the schoolboy bliss of cheering for a winning football, basketball or baseball team. So he ditched being a fan in order to cover sports professionally - occasionally objectively, always passionately. He's lived in Chicago, New York and Dallas, but now resides again in his beloved Brew City and is an ardent attacker of the notorious Milwaukee Inferiority Complex.

After interning at print publications like Birds and Blooms (official motto: "America's #1 backyard birding and gardening magazine!"), Sports Illustrated (unofficial motto: "Subscribe and save up to 90% off the cover price!") and The Dallas Morning News (a newspaper!), Jimmy worked for web outlets like CBSSports.com, where he was a Packers beat reporter, and FOX Sports Wisconsin, where he managed digital content. He's a proponent and frequent user of em dashes, parenthetical asides, descriptive appositives and, really, anything that makes his sentences longer and more needlessly complex.

Jimmy appreciates references to late '90s Brewers and Bucks players and is the curator of the unofficial John Jaha Hall of Fame. He also enjoys running, biking and soccer, but isn't too annoying about them. He writes about sports - both mainstream and unconventional - and non-sports, including history, music, food, art and even golf (just kidding!), and welcomes reader suggestions for off-the-beaten-path story ideas.