Swedish Hospital rolled out the red carpets for its VIP ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday.

The cocktail-style party filled the mall-sized foyer of the newly finished Issaquah hospital with politicos, distinguished community members and new Swedish staff, some wearing uniforms for the first time.

The hub-bub set the stage for formal remarks on the opening of the facility.

“This is what we’ve needed for a long time,” said Issaquah Council Member, Fred Butler, as he watched hundreds of people feed back inside after the ribbon cutting.

For the first time since the economy tanked, Pt. Blakely Communities has announced talks with a developer that could bring more retail to the Issaquah Highlands, which today doesn’t have even as a much as a corner store.

So many people were involved in leading the campus opening, about 20 faces stood behind the Swedish-blue ribbon for the cutting ceremony.

While Senator Maria Cantwell canceled her visit, after discussions over the debt ceiling kept her on the East Coast, Issaquah’s mayor and Swedish administrators gave their thanks.

The project began in 2004, after the Plateau community told Swedish it wanted a hospital closer to home, said Kevin Brown, a Swedish senior vice president. “This will be a part of the Swedish legacy.”

Winning state approval to build an inpatient clinic, meant an arm-wrestling match with nearby competitors, Overlake Hospital.

Construction was finished in 18 months, about four months ahead of schedule, and the hospital is under budget, Brown said.

Rod Hochman, president and CEO of Swedish Medical, and Ava Frisinger, the Issaquah mayor, joined hands to cut the ribbon at Swedish Issaquah.

Kevin Brown, a Swedish vice president, hands Doctor John Milne a commemorative cup for his work on the new Issaquah hospital. Brown gave the cups in jest, before unwrapping a crystal commemorative trophies.