President Trump’s hand-picked Kennedy Center board voted unanimously Monday to go forward with his two-year closure and renovation plan, which is set to begin this summer.
In a Monday release, the performing arts center said the board voted to “temporarily close the Center for a comprehensive revitalization project.” The center will close after a July 4 celebration for roughly two years, with a “Grand Re-Opening” to follow once the project is complete, the release added.
The president last month revealed plans to renovate the center, over which he has exerted significant authority by appointing new board members and himself as chairman. The new board also voted to add Trump’s name to the center in December, a move met with backlash from congressional Democrats, who said that only an act of Congress can change the name.
Trump urged the center’s board to approve the renovation project before Monday’s vote.
The renovations, which the release said will be funded via $257 million allocated from Congress, will “allow for the most comprehensive and efficient renovation effort, setting the stage for a revitalized National Cultural and Entertainment Complex for all Americans to enjoy.”