This move comes right after KPMG's long awaited management report commissioned by the MCCA on the convention center project was released. It makes no mention of recommending Rooney to oversee Upton, despite earlier reports indicating that that it would. The report has no recommendations regarding personnel but a source close to the MCCA tells GlobeSt.com, "It seemed clear that there was a desire to bring him in on this project." The source adds that it could be that someone will be brought in under Rooney to help with management.

While Andy Antrobus declined to say that Upton was fired from the project, he tells GlobeSt.com, "Upton is no longer involved in the project." According to Antrobus, Upton and the board have negotiated a separation agreement. Upton has come under fire of late for mismanaging the project and allowing it to go $100 million over budget. Among other things, KPMG's report criticizes Upton for not getting enough cost estimates and for cutting staff in an effort to cut costs. In its list of 17 recommendations, the report calls for the project to revamp its management structure and adopt a more traditional, hierarchical approach.

Work on the convention center project was halted recently when it was discovered that cost overruns could run as high as $100 million over the $750 million budget. A number of cost-cutting measures have brought the budget down to $800 million and Antrobus says with the release of the report, things are back on track. "We had a period where we have not been actively bidding packages," Antrobus tells GlobeSt.com. "We were revved up in neutral while we were trying to bring costs down, but the wheels are turning again."