WASHINGTON — Even as the Kennedy Center explores alternatives to a full two-year shutdown that a federal judge stopped last month, its management is not committing to scheduling new performances or rebuilding its staff.
In a court filing submitted Friday, attorneys for the Kennedy Center stated that the institution intends to “maintain an operational model” following July 5 — the date originally set for the venue to close for renovations. Under that arrangement, the public areas of the building would remain open, but the performance stages could go largely unused.
“The Court’s order did not affirmatively require the Board to reschedule programming that had previously been cancelled or to seek new programming,” the attorneys wrote in the filing.
The Kennedy Center was pushed to reconsider its plans after a May ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper struck down several significant changes made by a board dominated by allies of President Donald Trump. Cooper ruled that Trump’s name had been illegally added to the building and ordered its removal. He also blocked the closure and gave the institution’s leadership — along with Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex-officio board member who brought the lawsuit — until Friday to submit a status update.
The venue indicated that management would present the board with multiple renovation scenarios to vote on. Those options include a complete closure, a partial closure allowing “some continued public access and limited programming in spaces unaffected” by construction work, or a third approach that would “consider a highly limited series of phased closures to address only the Center’s most serious infrastructure needs while scheduling and maintaining a full slate of programming.”
Attorneys for the Kennedy Center noted that the final recommendations have not yet been determined and that a board vote is expected sometime in mid-July.
Attorneys representing Beatty pushed back, arguing the Kennedy Center has not fully followed through on Judge Cooper’s order. While Trump’s name has been taken off the building, they raised concerns about a tarp that was placed over the areas where the lettering had been installed — with no apparent plans to remove it anytime soon.
Beatty’s legal team also contended that without taking steps to restore some level of programming, the Kennedy Center is essentially carrying out its planned shutdown in defiance of the court’s ruling.
“Having gutted staff and programming, Defendants believe they can sit back and allow their pre-planned shutdown to commence,” Beatty’s attorneys wrote in the filing.
