Kennedy Center Delays Renovation Closure Amid Legal Dispute

The Kennedy Center said it will delay closing for renovations, but it’s not booking any new shows — the latest twist in a long-running legal dispute over the capital’s premier performing arts venue.

In a court filing on Friday, lawyers for the center said it aims to “maintain an operational model” beyond July 5, the date they had initially planned to shutter for two years of renovations. That means the building’s public spaces will remain open to visitors.

However, in a court-ordered update, executive director Matt Floca wrote: “Given present uncertainty as to future programming, management has deferred affirmative long-term programming or staffing adjustments.” Those decisions will hinge on future actions by the center’s board of trustees.

The venue, situated on the banks of the Potomac River, said its leadership will present the board with a range of options, including full or partial closures that would allow “some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected” by the renovations. A vote is set to take place in mid-July, lawyers said.

President Donald Trump first revealed his plan to close the center for upgrades in February, writing on Truth Social “The temporary closure will produce a much faster and higher quality result!”

The center — whose board is dominated by Trump loyalists, and chaired by the president himself — has stated that the renovation work will include repairing plumbing and electrical systems, along with installing new seating and carpeting.

Employees questioned the need for a two-year closure, pointing out that the center had previously undertaken repairs while staying open, allowing artists to perform on its stages, according to The Washington Post. One unnamed staffer described it as a “self-inflicted crisis.”

In December, Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex officio trustee, sued the administration over the decision to add Trump’s name to the building. In March, she updated her lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asking the judge to block the closure.

In May, Judge Christopher Cooper issued a ruling that largely sided with Beatty. He barred the planned closure and gave the Kennedy Center’s leadership until Friday to provide an update on their plans.

Cooper also ruled that Trump’s name had been unlawfully added to the building’s facade and ordered its removal.

The lettering has since been taken down, though a large tarp now covers the spot where it once appeared. On Friday, attorneys for Beatty argued that the center had not completely complied with the judge’s order.

Lawyers for the center previously argued that stripping the president’s name from the performing arts institution would sever a “vital fundraising connection.”

The planned overhaul of the Kennedy Center is just one of several initiatives the 80-year-old president has launched across Washington, D.C. Since returning to office, he has begun constructing a massive White House ballroom, paved over the Rose Garden and unveiled plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch.