Kennedy Center filing reveals Trump’s name could be on the building twice
Court Filing Exposes Plan to Brand Kennedy Center with Trump's Name Twice
Tyunews.com – A joint legal submission filed overnight in an ongoing federal lawsuit has laid bare the specifics behind two controversial board votes cast last Thursday at the Kennedy Center. The documents, entered into the case brought by Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), reveal that the center's governing board approved both a two-year shutdown for renovation and the reinstatement of President Donald Trump's name on the building's exterior — potentially in two separate locations.
The Name Restoration
According to the filing, the board voted to place Trump's name back onto the Kennedy Center facade after a judge had previously ordered its removal. Beatty described last week that an outdoor area would receive the designation "The President Donald J. Trump Plaza." A board resolution accompanying the vote characterized the president as the institution's rescuer, asserting that the center
"would be in financial ruin without President Trump's unique stature as both an unparalleled fundraiser and world-class developer."
The same resolution credited Trump's chairmanship as the reason Congress and private financiers agreed to fund the restoration effort, stating it was
"solely due"
to his role. The filing further discloses that once an endowment called the Trump Kennedy Center Fund reaches a $100 million target, a second inscription will be added to the structure, reading:
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 attorneys labeled the attempt to reinstate the name — after a court had already struck it down — a
"breathtaking act of defiance"
and asked the court to enjoin the action.
The Two-Year Closure and $285 Million Renovation
The board voted 23-3 to shut down the facility for two years as part of a roughly $285 million overhaul. Congress had earmarked $256.7 million the previous year for repair and restoration work, and most of that sum would cover the project under the approved plan. An alternative proposal called for staggered partial closures spread across four years at an estimated cost of approximately $560 million.
Kennedy Center Executive Director Matt Floca, in a sworn declaration included in the filing, stated that a consultant warned the board the four-year approach would be more expensive and would
"present substantial safety concerns."
Floca added that prolonged construction would undermine fundraising and inflict
"reputational damage"
as audiences attended performances
"in and around a construction site"
for years.
Under the approved two-year plan, regular programming and the building's JFK memorial would relocate to the smaller neighboring rehearsal space called The REACH. The Kennedy Center Honors ceremony and the Mark Twain Prize would shift to offsite venues, while the National Symphony Orchestra would perform elsewhere with the center providing logistical
"support."
Beatty's lawyers contended the closure vote rested on a
"vague, two-page PowerPoint provided to the Board just two days before the meeting."
The filing does not name the three dissenting board members, though ABC News has learned that two of the "no" votes came from ex-officio members Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington).
Tarp and Scaffolding on the Facade
The submission also addresses the tarp and scaffolding that have obscured portions of the Kennedy Center's exterior since Trump's name was taken down in June. Center management told the court the covering
"helped safeguard the marble facade of the building in light of reported panel damage"
and remains necessary for ongoing work, including water testing and structural repairs to the roof overhang of the portico.
Beatty's team rejected that justification, arguing the stated rationale for the tarp
"make no sense and suggest that their current explanations are pretextual."
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