Royal Theater renovation: council gets detailed funding update; members press for clearer accounting

City staff and the Royal Theater project team presented an extensive financial and schedule update on May 13, telling the Guadalupe City Council that a revised, one‑story design with a set of removable alternates could make the project fundable without tapping the city general fund.

Tom Bradbury, the project manager, apologized to council and attendees for prior document errors and walked through five recent construction estimates and funding sources. Bradbury and staff said the city currently has roughly $5.5–$5.6 million in non‑general‑fund sources available for the project (including a $5 million award that staff said has been placed in hand by a state arts funding channel), plus other capital set‑asides. Staff presented a construction base estimate near $10.7 million, soft costs of roughly $2.93 million, and a total project cost in one estimate at about $13.6 million. Staff also presented five alternates (mechanical/technical systems, rear building interior,…