US President Donald Trump has for the first time revealed the projected cost for a major renovation of the Kennedy Center, which he now oversees. The plans involve a lengthy closure for what he describes as a crucial overhaul of the iconic but aging performing arts venue.
Donald Trump reveals cost for Kennedy Center renovation
On January 3, Donald Trump stated that renovating the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will cost approximately $200 million. He announced that the venue will close its doors after July 4 for an estimated two-year period to facilitate extensive work. “It’s in very bad shape,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “It’s dilapidated, sort of dangerous. Things fall out of ceilings,” he added.
He further emphasized that the project is a renovation, not a demolition. “We are going to close it and we’re going to make it unbelievable, far better than it ever was, and we’ll be able to do it properly,” he quipped. “We’re going to have something when it opens, it’s going to be brand new, beautiful,” Trump added. The president did not specify what will happen to major annual events traditionally held at the center, such as the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (via Washington Times).
This Kennedy Center renovation plan follows sweeping changes Donald Trump has already implemented since taking control of the venue. It includes naming himself chairman and replacing the board. His name was added to the building’s facade, the exterior columns have been painted white, and portraits of the first and second couples now hang in the center’s Hall of Nations.
Trump ousted longtime Board Chairman David Rubenstein, the center’s biggest donor, and fired President Deborah F. Rutter. He installed longtime ally Richard Grenell as president and appointed new board members, including Fox News host Laura Ingraham and Attorney General Pam Bondi. He has pledged to usher in a “golden age in arts and culture,” amid several major artists exiting.
