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The board of trustees of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has approved a plan to close the Washington, D.C. venue for two years to undergo renovations.
According to reporting from CNN, the vote took place Monday and was unanimous among the trustees. The board, which was reshaped last year by President Donald Trump after he returned to office, approved the closure following an earlier announcement that the complex would shut down to accelerate construction work.
The Kennedy Center said the temporary shutdown is intended to allow renovation work to proceed more quickly. Trump said during the meeting that materials for the project, including new seating and marble, had already been purchased.
Ex-officio members of the board whose roles are mandated by Congress were allowed to attend the meeting at the White House but were not permitted to vote.
Joyce Beatty, a Democratic representative from Ohio who has filed a lawsuit challenging the administration and the board has filed a complaint which includes concerns about access to renovation plans and whether ex-officio members should be allowed to participate in votes related to the center.
A federal judge ruled over the weekend that the administration must provide relevant documents related to the renovation plans, though the court did not determine whether Beatty or other ex-officio members could vote.
The leadership of the center has also undergone changes in recent months. It was announced last week Richard Grenell would transition out of his role as president of the Kennedy Center. Matt Floca, currently the institution’s vice president of facilities operations, is expected to take over leadership as the complex prepares for renovations.
