Either that or crown gall. I would take it out and burn it. Also get rid of all the debris too and burn it.

well, its gone. All branches and root ball in thick plastic bags tied tight until can give to my friend with the burn barrel!!! does this picture suggest which problem it may have been.... borer or crown gall?

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I mourned the loss for a day or so... Now I am anxious to plant this Golden Fullmoon Maple I just happened to have that was looking for a place to live! It should look great there and I can expand my daylily collection. Moving on!

Do you think I should do anything to the soil before planting this baby:

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I'm not famlilar with Viburnum borer, but presumably if you have a borer you will see a hole(s) at the base(s) of the stem(s), and probably swelling there as well. I think maybe I see swelling. You should be able to confirm the presence of a boring insect by cutting open some of those basal stems and looking for empty chambers in the midst of swollen stems, or evidence of tunneling through stem tissue.