First Presidency tours new assembly building
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Members of the First Presidency got an up-close view of the construction progress at the Church's new assembly building during a tour on Jan. 29.
The mammoth structure where the Church's general conferences, as well as pageants and other performances, will be held is located on the city block just north of Temple Square. It is scheduled to be completed in time for April 2000 general conference.
President Gordon B. Hinckley; President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency; and President James E. Faust, second counselor; were joined by Presiding Bishop H. David Burton and Bishop Keith B. McMullin, his second counselor, in viewing the main auditorium area of the new building.
The building's project manager, Thomas Hanson of the Church's Physical Facilities Department, was one of the guides for the tour. He said the guests checked out the size of the auditorium, and saw the immensity of the last truss for the roof of the main hall which hadn't yet been lifted into place and was still on the ground at that time. Brother Hanson said that guides on the tour answered questions about the progress and process of construction, and reviewed some of the materials going into the building.
Ground was broken for the assembly building by members of the First Presidency on July 24, 1997, during the Church's sesquicentennial celebration. The building's auditorium will have a seating capacity of 21,000 in three tiers facing toward the rostrum.
Also under construction on the block are an underground parking terrace and a 900-seat theater.
