'Topping Out' Of Little Caesars HQs Sets Stage For Next Chapter Downtown

DETROIT (CBSDetroit) - A major milestone Tuesday for the construction of Little Caesars world headquarters in Detroit -- with ironworkers local union members looking on as the final piece of steel was put into place.

It's called a "topping out" ceremony -- with ironworkers signing their names to the final pieces of steel before the beams are lifted into place onto the nine-story building.

Dave Scrivano president and CEO of Little Caesars telling WWJ that the facilities built downtown will bring a major economic impact into the area.

"We continue to expand throughout the world, so this will facilitate that growth - we're going to bring hundreds of jobs into Detroit and certainly make the best products we can for our customers," said Scrivano.

"My father had remarkable vision," said CEO Chris Ilitch. "And I think the work that we have all done and are doing -- he would be very, very proud of, certainly today, this topping ceremony of the Little Caesers World Headquarters Campus is an incredible milestone."

The $732 million arena set to open in September already has a star-studded lineup including Kid Rock, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga among the acts already scheduled to perform at the new arena.

Safety was one of the key factors in planning in the development of the arena.

"Little Caesars Arena -- there's a lot of work and contemplation that's gone into security than I would say Little Caesars Arena will be certainly designed as one of the safest arenas in the world - a lot of consideration was given to the safety of our guests and our colleagues," said Ilitch.

The price tag on the headquarters tops $150 million and is expected to be finished in 2018. It's expected to be home to about 700 employees, and will have retail stores on the ground-floor.

Accounts from the Detroit Free Press say the Ilitch companies employ 23,000 full-time and part-time colleagues worldwide and posted revenues of $3.4 billion in 2016. The Ilitch companies include Ilitch Holdings, Little Caesars Pizza, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, the Detroit Red Wings, the Detroit Tigers, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Little Caesars Pizza Kits Fundraising Program and Champion Foods.

The Detroit Red Wings owner and Little Caesars founder Mike Ilitch died in February at age 87.