news-record.com

It might be a good idea for the Greensboro Coliseum to build an outdoor amphitheater for concerts and other events. It would have been a better idea to make sure the City Council knew about it before getting started.

Assistant City Manager Bob Morgan stepped up Thursday to take the blame for the communication lapse that left elected leaders in the dark until Tuesday about a project that had been under way for months.

"I'm embarrassed I put the City Council in this situation," he said.

The situation is a strange one. Site work has been nearly completed on the former Canada Dry property at Ellington and Hanner streets, which the city acquired earlier this year to add to the coliseum complex. Coliseum staff developed plans for a 6,000-seat amphitheater, but the city manager's office didn't review them.

Morgan was interim manager from March until new City Manager Rashad Young arrived two weeks ago. In July, the manager's office approved a $95,000 contract for site work but failed to take note of an attached memo describing the proposed amphitheater. He should have seen that and informed the council, Morgan said Thursday.

Council members were understandably taken aback when they were finally briefed Tuesday. Odder, however, is that fact that Matt Brown, the coliseum's managing director, insisted Thursday that he fully briefed the council at a meeting in January; that he was developing these plans long before then with the knowledge of former City Manager Mitchell Johnson; that the city's Planning Department and other agencies have been aware of them; and that work clearing the site began 10 months ago. Nevertheless, he added: "I agree and apologize that there wasn't enough communication and clarification to the council."

Young, who stepped into the middle of this unaware, ordered work to stop for the time being while his office gathers more details about planned programming and costs. Morgan said he wants to meet with neighbors to make sure the community would be comfortable with the type of events the new venue would host. Finally, armed with full information, the City Council will decide whether to proceed, Morgan said.

The last step seemed to rankle Brown, who acknowledged the council's authority but expressed incredulity that anything could derail plans for the amphitheater at this point, which include what he calls "lush" landscaping and natural buffers between the venue and residential areas. As for cost, he expects sponsorship dollars and then event revenues to make the facility financially viable.

The project represents an improved use of a derelict property, but the communication breakdown, no matter where blame lies, is unacceptable. The coliseum complex is one of the city's most valuable assets, and it's certainly well-managed, but it isn't an independent entity. The City Council always should be clearly informed of major projects there.