The Kennedy Center's board has voted to close the facility for two years as part of a $285 million renovation plan, a decision that is part of an ongoing lawsuit. The board also voted to re-add President Donald Trump's name to the building, potentially in multiple locations.
These details emerged in a joint filing related to a lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, who is challenging actions taken by the Kennedy Center's board under Trump's leadership. The filing outlines the board's votes on a renovation plan and the addition of Trump's name.
Renovation and Closure Plan
The board approved a plan to close the Kennedy Center for two years to undertake approximately $285 million in renovations. Congress allocated $256.7 million last year for the center's repair and restoration. An alternative plan involving partial closures over four years would have cost an estimated $560 million.
According to Matt Floca, Kennedy Center Executive Director, the two-year closure plan was recommended because the longer, partial closure option presented greater safety concerns and would have incurred higher costs. Floca also stated that a prolonged construction period could negatively impact fundraising and damage the center's reputation.
Under the approved two-year closure plan, programming and the John F. Kennedy Memorial will be relocated to The REACH, an adjacent rehearsal facility. The Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize ceremonies would be moved to offsite locations, and the National Symphony Orchestra would perform at other venues with Kennedy Center support.
Beatty's legal team argued in their filing that the decision to close the center was based on a limited, two-page presentation provided to the board just two days prior to the vote. Sources indicate that two of the three board members who voted against the closure were ex-officio members Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington).
Re-adding Trump's Name
The board's vote also included restoring Trump's name to the building. Beatty previously stated that an outdoor space would be designated "The President Donald J. Trump Plaza." The resolution cited Trump's role as instrumental in securing funding for the center's restoration, describing him as a "savior" due to his fundraising and development capabilities.
The resolution further stipulated that an additional line would be added to the building's inscription once an endowment, the Trump Kennedy Center Fund, reaches a $100 million fundraising goal. The inscription would read: "The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump Endowed by the Trump Kennedy Center Fund."
Beatty's lawyers have characterized the effort to restore Trump's name as a "breathtaking act of defiance" following a judge's order for its removal and are urging the court to block this action.
Scaffolding and Legal Challenge
The lawsuit also addresses the scaffolding and tarp covering a portion of the Kennedy Center's facade since Trump's name was removed in June. Kennedy Center management claims the coverings are necessary for safeguarding the marble facade and for ongoing construction, including water testing and structural repairs to the roof overhang.
Beatty's lawyers dispute these explanations, calling them pretextual and questioning the necessity of the scaffolding given its height relative to the building's soffits. They also noted that similar scaffolding has not been erected elsewhere on the building. The legal team suggested that the continued presence of the scaffolding, obscuring the building's name, may be intended to prevent the removal of Trump's name.
Furthermore, Beatty's lawyers raised the possibility that the removal of Trump's name may have caused damage to the building.
Beatty is asking Judge Christopher Cooper to block both the two-year closure plan and the re-addition of Trump's name to the building, requesting a ruling before September 8. The Kennedy Center management has stated it will not reapply Trump's name to the facade until September 8, allowing Judge Cooper time to consider the request.