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Fox News Digital confirmed Tuesday that the Kennedy Center board voted to immediately close the main building of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., citing safety and funding concerns.
President Donald Trump said shortly after the vote that the board agreed “almost unanimously” to close the building for safety reasons and begin the process of reconstruction.
Trump said the closure will take effect immediately, but renovation and reconstruction will not begin until the D.C. Circuit rules in the ongoing dispute over the board’s proposed use of his name at the Kennedy Center. He said Justice Department attorneys will seek an expedited appeal.
Trump also said $17 million he raised has been deposited into the Kennedy Center’s account “to keep it afloat.”
KENNEDY CENTER CEILING PARTIALLY COLLAPSES AS TRUMP-LED BOARD PUSHES FOR 2-YEAR CLOSURE
Two additional sources told Fox News the board approved the closure during a special meeting.
Earlier Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper blocked the board from putting Trump’s name on the building or renaming the grounds “President Donald J. Trump Plaza,” ruling that such memorials require congressional approval.
Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi said the board’s decision “reflects sound judgment and a clear prioritization of safety above all else.”
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“As the main building closes for urgent renovations — long overdue and desperately needed to protect the safety of patrons, artists and staff — the Center remains committed to pursuing a safe and efficient renovation through all legal means,” Daravi said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We intend to appeal today’s Court ruling and move forward with recognizing Chairman President Trump’s historic contributions to the revitalization of America’s Cultural Center.”
The closure comes less than two weeks after part of the Kennedy Center ceiling collapsed during a rainstorm.
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Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi told Fox News Digital at the time that the structural failure demonstrated the “urgent need” for renovations and blamed “decades of neglect and deferred maintenance.”
Trump said Tuesday morning that a security guard had passed through the area only shortly before the ceiling collapsed, and argued that the incident only demonstrated the building’s safety problems.
“A security guard had just passed the area, one minute prior to this ceiling collapse,” President Trump said in his Truth post. “He was, therefore, 60 seconds away from certain death.”
The Grand Foyer slab that fell roughly 60 feet during the recent structural failure weighed more than 150 pounds, according to information obtained by Fox News Digital.
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“The building is not currently built to last, the Chairman knows that because he is among the best builders in the world,” said Brian Ballard, Kennedy Center Board of Trustees member. “We are lucky as a board and as an institution to have him at the helm during such a critical moment to save America’s Cultural Center.”
It was not immediately clear how long the Kennedy Center will remain closed or how Tuesday’s court ruling could affect the closure.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News Digital’s Brie Stimson contributed to this reporting.
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