Louisville Arena reaches summit:
On schedule for November opening

Construction of the Louisville Downtown Arena reached its zenith with a public celebration this week. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson headed the list of dignitaries participating in the ceremony marking the attainment of the highest point in the construction. The arena will become the fifth-largest basketball arena in the U.S. when it opens in November.

F.A. Wilhelm Construction Co. of Indianapolis was concrete contractor for the arena. Wilhelm built the concrete superstructure, including the seating bowl with capacity for 22,000 people, lobbies, entrances and aprons leading into the arena. Wilhelm also built an adjoining 760-space parking garage.

Wilhelm finished the arena’s concrete superstructure in December. In rising to dramatically change the skyline of downtown Louisville, the structure required the pouring of 38,000 cubic yards of concrete (about 3,800 trucks full) and 3,630 tons of steel rebar. Approximately 130 workers for Wilhelm and other subcontractors worked on the concrete superstructure at the work’s peak.

The steel and metal roof was added to the structure since December, resulting in Monday’s topping-off ceremony.

The Louisville Downtown Arena is located along the Ohio River at Second and Main streets. The arena will be home to the University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball teams. UofL President James Ramsey and athletic director Tom Jurich also will participate in Monday’s ceremony.

A wide range of other events including concerts, circuses and ice shows will be staged in the downtown arena.

Wilhelm Construction specializes in complex construction projects in Indiana and throughout the Midwest. Wilhelm’s other work in the Louisville area includes concrete construction on Papa John’s Stadium, the parking garage at Louisville International Airport, and the Horseshoe Casino pavilion, hotel and parking garage in Elizabeth, IN.