Kennedy Center faces possible closure amid financial crisis, board says
The Kennedy Center's board of trustees warned that the venue could shut its main building within days due to a projected budget shortfall and urgent renovation needs.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., may close its main auditorium as early as Tuesday, according to a report by the Washington Post. The center's board of trustees, chaired by President Donald Trump, said a 57-page assessment presented at a special meeting highlighted a looming fiscal deficit and the need for extensive building repairs.
Board members recommend an immediate shutdown of the main facility because the institution cannot meet payroll or maintenance expenses in the coming weeks. The trustees noted that the center is expected to collect about $124 million of the $220 million it projected, leaving a shortfall of roughly $23 million after cost-cutting measures.
"Trump's name has attracted new donors," a spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said, adding that earlier leadership was responsible for financial mismanagement.
The board also suggested that acknowledging Trump’s involvement, including placing his name on the building’s façade, could help secure additional funding. The center has seen a decline in ticket sales to levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting several artists to cancel performances.
The trustees plan to discuss the financial and physical challenges at the upcoming meeting, with the possibility of closing the main venue pending their decision.