The Hobby-Eberly Telescope, nearing completion at McDonald Observatory in west Texas is an optical Arecibo-type telescope utilizing an 11-meter primary mirror and a 9.2-meter effective aperture. Innovative approaches have been employed to provide this large modern telescope at a total cost of $13.5 million. A joint project of the University of Texas, The Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, the University of Munich, and the University of Goettingen, the telescope will be completed in mid 1997. First light is expected in mid 1996.