Headline story in today’s N&R print edition is the Greensboro City Council’s approval of a controversial rezoning project at Lake Brandy and Tropser Roads, while lead item in the notes in the ‘council notes’ sidebar is the appointment of former council member Goldie Wells to fill Jamal Fox’s seat as the District 2 council member until the November election. Surprise.

But further down is this most interesting development regarding the proposed downtown performing arts center:

The council voted to abandon the process of having a “construction manager at-risk” for building the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts. Coliseum Director Matt Brown said it could save time and money. But it also means no company can guarantee a maximum price for construction.

As you may or may not know-the ‘construction manager at risk’ is the ‘delivery method which entails a commitment by the Construction Manager (CM) to deliver the project within a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) which is based on the construction documents and specifications at the time of the GMP plus any reasonably inferred items or tasks.’ This is not a good sign, and Greensboro residents should not be surprised if the $78 million price tag does not hold.