Recent Developments at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory, GMT's forerunner

After a short description of the telescope, we will report on the recent developments in three main areas: - Commissioning of the last of LBT's first generation instruments, now well underway, - Adaptive Optics (AO) and ground-layer AO progress and planned upgrades, - Interferometry first science results. We will also explore the future of the facility as it moves to full operation and strive to be the first of the ELTs in the decade-long window in which GMT, TMT, and E-ELT break ground and start taking shape.