Before an emergency hearing, the Kennedy Center's board threatens to demolish it

**Kennedy Center Board Threatens Demolition if Renovation Plans Are Blocked**

The board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has warned in a legal filing that the complex may need to be demolished if its proposed two-year renovation and plans to add former President Donald Trump’s name to the facility are not approved. The board described the Kennedy Center as "embarrassing to the nation's capital" and a "sick and poorly run facility."

The filing, submitted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil division, supports the board’s argument that it should proceed with a $250 million renovation that would temporarily close most performance venues. Without the renovations, the board claims the center could become "an unsafe, decrepit structure" requiring demolition. The filing suggests that an outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River could replace the current facility if demolition occurs.

The documents were filed ahead of an emergency hearing scheduled for Thursday in a federal lawsuit brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, against Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board. Most board members were appointed by Trump, who was named chairman in February 2025.

In a statement to NPR, Kennedy Center spokesperson P.J. Elliott said the language in the filing describes a "hypothetical scenario" if the renovation is blocked by "partisan interests."

Beatty, an ex officio board member, filed an emergency motion last week asking U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper to halt the board’s plans to restore Trump’s name to the complex. The board approved a proposal on Aug. 13 to add Trump’s name to the entryway sign twice and a third time elsewhere on the grounds. The proposed signage 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." The final line would be added if a $100 million donation fund is established. The board also seeks to rename the grounds "President Donald J. Trump Plaza."

In May, Judge Cooper ruled that the board’s December decision to rename the center the Trump Kennedy Center was unlawful. He stated that the Kennedy Center’s founding statute requires it to be named for President John F. Kennedy and that only Congress can authorize a name change. The board has said it will not reinstall Trump’s name before Sept. 8. Beatty’s legal team called the deadline "arbitrary" and accused the board of creating an "unnecessary fire drill."

Board meeting minutes from June 11 and Aug. 13, submitted as part of the filings, provide the first public details of the renovation plans. The board consulted Darin Buchalter, CEO of Delta Consulting Group, a firm specializing in real estate and construction. JLL, another construction company, has also been involved in the plans. Neither firm has responded to NPR’s requests for comment.

It remains unclear whether either company has experience with arts venues featuring unamplified performances, such as orchestras, opera, and dance, which have been central to the Kennedy Center’s programming since its 1971 opening. The board minutes do not indicate that arts administrators, acoustic experts, or performers were consulted in the renovation plans. The full details of Delta’s report and the specific renovation proposals remain under seal.